Bon Factory Embarked on Full-Fledged Global Expansion in Partnership with Endeavor Content

CJ ENM announced on the 6th that ‘Bon Factory,’ the company’s drama production subsidiary, has entered a strategic partnership on global content co-production with ‘Endeavor Content,’ a leading Hollywood drama and movie content company. CJ ENM acquired Bon Factory in 2019 and has been seeking to expand its global presence by strengthening its proprietary content.

The partnership is expected to create multiple hits for global viewers by adding Endeavor's networks, production and global distribution expertise to Bon Factory's content planning and production capabilities. Based on their IPs and original content, the two companies intend to jointly plan, develop, and produce content such as movies and dramas targeting the global market, including Korea and the U.S. 

Bon Factory, established in 2008 by co-CEOs Moon Suk-hwan and Oh Kwang-hee, who are also serving as general producers, has released multiple hits such as <Encounter>, <What's Wrong with Secretary Kim>, <Live Up to Your Name>, <She Was Pretty>, <The Master's Sun>, and <You're Beautiful>, solidifying its position as a leading Korean drama production company. Praised for having excellent capabilities in the planning, development and production of romantic comedy stories, Bon Factory has recently received love calls from several global media agencies, as the airing rights of its popular works such as <What's Wrong with Secretary Kim> and <Encounter> were sold to terrestrial TV stations and OTTs in over 100 countries across the world.  Bon Factory's latest work <True Beauty> is a remake of the hit webtoon of the same name that has been popularly serialized in over 100 countries around the world. Since it first aired on tvN last month, its target viewership has ranked first in the same time slot on all domestic channels, reflecting its huge popularity.

Oh Kwang-hee, co-CEO of Bon Factory, said, “I am extremely excited to be able to introduce Korea’s best production crew and IPs to the global entertainment market through collaboration with Endeavor Content,” noting, “I am acutely aware that interest in Korean content has increased as K-content has built a global fandom beyond Asia through global platforms.”

Endeavor Content is a subsidiary of Endeavor, the largest agency in the U.S. specializing in content planning, investment, production and distribution. Endeavor’s predecessor William Morris Endeavor (WME) was a legendary entertainment agency in the North American entertainment industry, which represented Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley. Endeavor is now home to famous artists such as Adele and Bruno Mars. Endeavor which has recently established its own production company, Endeavor Content, is expanding its influence as an emerging content powerhouse encompassing an entire range of Hollywood broadcasting and film production.

Kelly Miller, VP of international strategy at Endeavor Content, said, “A compelling narrative always captivates global viewers, and a global story requires the best talent of the time,” adding, “As Korean culture is having an impact on the world, we look forward to a perfect partnership through Bon Factory’s storytelling and domestic and overseas content production capabilities.”

Endeavor Content has participated in the production and distribution of works that have been recognized for their worldwide box office success as well as artistic quality, such as Golden Globe and Academy Award winners <La La Land> and <Call Me by Your Name> in addition to BBC’s popular dramas <Killing Eve> and <The Night Manager>, among others.