CJ ENM seeks to transform fan engagement through content-driven approach as platform hits 40 million users
South Korea's entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM laid out an ambitious roadmap for its mobile-based K-pop content platform Mnet Plus on Tuesday, revealing plans to quadruple content investment while cementing its position in the global music landscape.
Speaking at the company's Culture Talk event in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Kim Ji-won, senior vice president of Mnet Plus, revealed the service has surged to 40 million cumulative users since its 2022 launch, with monthly active users peaking at 20 million. The numbers mark a milestone for the platform, which streams everything from Mnet's broadcast programs to original variety shows and live concerts.
"Simply viewing K-pop content isn't enough anymore," Kim told reporters. "We're creating a platform where fans directly participate and immerse themselves in experiences."
That approach underpins what CJ ENM calls "fanteractive" features — interactive mechanisms built around fan engagement, including voting systems, digital photo cards and fan support campaigns — that blur the line between content consumption and creation. During the finale of "Boys II Planet," Mnet's global boyband competition series, the platform clocked 70,000 votes per second, demonstrating the extraordinary engagement K-pop commands among its global Generation Z and Generation Alpha audiences.
The platform's content library now includes original variety shows such as "Sumbakkokjil" and "The City of Spy: NCT 127," which feature acts such as Tomorrow X Together, NCT 127 and Zerobaseone, alongside streaming for major events like KCON and the Mnet Asian Music Awards.
Culture critic Cha Woo-jin, founder of K-Culture Lab, who also spoke at the event, framed the strategy in broader terms. K-pop's business model, he argued, differs fundamentally from Western music giants like Universal and Warner, which bank on sprawling back catalogs and IP licensing accumulated through decades of acquisitions. Korean companies bet instead on artist development and fan intimacy. This high-risk, high-return wager hinges on cultivating a devoted consumer base the industry calls "superfans."
"The question isn't just how to gather more fans," Cha said. "It's what value and experience you provide them."
That superfan economy now cuts across regional and cultural boundaries. Mnet Plus's user metrics reflect this trend: 80 percent of its traffic originates outside Korea, with users skewing heavily female (83 percent) and young (91 percent aged 10-29). The convergence accelerated especially during the COVID-19 pandemic through social media, Cha noted, as shared consumption patterns — based on meme-based humor and value-driven choices — now unite teens from Seoul to Riyadh.
CJ ENM plans to lean into that sweet spot. The company will pump fourfold more resources into original programming next year — Kim called it "a meaningful amount" — while rolling out ad-supported free viewing to lower the barrier for casual listeners. Premium content such as concert livestreams will remain paywalled. Kim declined to specify the pricing.
The platform's growth strategy centers on a two-pronged approach: draw light fans with accessible content like reality shows and variety programming, then deepen engagement through participatory tools like voting systems and collectible features. Internal data suggests this approach is working -- Mnet Plus users cluster disproportionately in "core" and "hyper-core" segments, defying the typical funnel where most customers stay casual.
Securing new markets across the globe stands as the company's next priority. With China, Korea and Japan accounting for 60 percent of current users, CJ ENM is eyeing North America, Oceania and Europe for expansion.
One might question whether the platform commands enough marquee talent to crack Western markets where Billboard chart-topping pop icons hold court. Kim's reply was to watch for homegrown big names in upcoming originals.
"The artists appearing in Mnet Plus originals are already mega-IP stars," she said. "And we'll be bringing in even more next year."
moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com
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