Warner Bros. Discovery just placed its biggest bet yet on Korean content, and it’s partnering with a proven heavyweight to do it. In a multi-year deal, WBD is teaming up with CJ ENM to bring a branded TVING hub to HBO Max across 17 Asia-Pacific markets, while co-producing new Korean dramas for global distribution.
This isn’t just another licensing arrangement. Starting in early 2026, HBO Max will effectively become a home for TVING, CJ ENM’s flagship streamer, across Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The partnership gives WBD a deep bench of K-dramas and unscripted formats, with original series slated to premiere directly through the new hub. Rollout begins in November, led by the high-profile debut of Dear X.
More importantly, WBD and CJ ENM will co-invest in fresh Korean scripted originals, designed from the ground up for global audiences. It’s the kind of slate-building strategy we’ve seen Netflix lean into for years. Now WBD is playing catch-up, but with a formidable partner.
CJ ENM’s Studio Dragon has long been a go-to supplier for Netflix, producing breakout titles like Crash Landing on You, Stranger, and Mr. Sunshine. The company is also expanding aggressively, from its Saudi Arabia expansion to partnerships with Skydance, Disney, Prime Video, and more. This WBD alliance marks another strong distribution and co-production pipeline, but notably, CJ is keeping its options open across global platforms.
From WBD’s side, this partnership checks multiple strategic boxes. First, it strengthens local relevance in key Asia-Pacific growth markets. Second, it brings a premium storytelling hook through a consistent stream of high-end K-drama content. And third, it creates a differentiated value proposition for HBO Max across international territories, especially where local content drives engagement.
In Zaslav’s words, it’s about “great locally relevant stories in key markets.” But it’s also about creating the kind of destination content HBO Max needs if it wants to play for scale in Asia. Korean storytelling isn’t just popular. It’s platform-defining. And this partnership gives WBD the runway to compete.
