[Edaily Reporter Yoon Ki-baek] Content Media Group #NEW (Chairman Kim Woo-taek) has finalized its lineup of five upcoming film investment and distribution projects, aiming to secure a medium- to long-term growth engine. Having risen to the top spot among Korean film distributors last year and achieved record revenue, NEW appears to be strengthening its profit-focused business strategy by leveraging a portfolio of commercial films featuring IP from box-office hit directors, proven production companies, and broad appeal.

As the Korean film market is currently restructuring around blockbusters, NEW is enhancing its competitiveness by securing new works from directors recognized for both box office success and artistic merit. Particularly noteworthy is the company’s acquisition of the next projects from directors Jang Jae-hyun (who drew 10 million viewers with “Exhumation”), Eom Tae-hwa (“Concrete Utopia”), and Kang Hyung-chul (director of “Speeding Scandal,” “Sunny,” and “High Five”).
Director Jang Jae-hyun’s “Vampire” is touted as a highly anticipated film that will demonstrate the potential for expansion of the Korean occult genre. As this is Director Jang’s first new project since “Exhumed,” it has drawn significant industry attention. Director Eom Tae-hwa is set to once again showcase his genre-bending imagination and dense storytelling through his new film, “A Good Place to Live.” Director Kang Hyung-chul’s “If I’m With You” is also generating anticipation as a commercial film aimed at a broad audience.

◇Collaboration with Proven Production Companies… Strengthening the Tentpole Lineup
Two mid-to-large-scale commercial films have also entered the production phase. These include “High School Detective,” produced in collaboration with Samani Pictures—known for diverse content ranging from action and noir to period dramas—and “Six Lying College Students” (working title), currently in production with Covenant Pictures, which caused a box office sensation earlier this year with “If We.”
In particular, “High School Detective” is a tentpole production that NEW is unveiling to target audiences of all generations, following the success of last year’s mega-hit “Zombie Daughter,” which recorded the highest number of viewers for a Korean film. The film is already drawing attention both within and outside the industry simply due to its casting of Yoon Kyung-ho and Kim Hye-yoon, as well as its unique premise. “Six Lying College Students” has been recognized for the strength of its screenplay, having been selected for the Korean Film Council’s mid-budget film support program. The film follows the story of six finalists who participate in a team debate to select a single successful candidate. With a large cast of young actors including Jo Yi-hyun, Kim Jae-won, Shin Seung-ho, Kang Yu-seok, and Kwak Dong-yeon, it is being touted as a new box office contender.
Industry analysts interpret this lineup as a sign of a shift in NEW’s investment strategy. The company is said to be enhancing stability by balancing proven director IPs, mid-budget commercial films, and fresh projects, while building long-term collaborative structures with creators who have a proven track record of box office success rather than investing in one-off projects.
Momentum is also expected outside the film business. Affiliate Studio N is set to air the SBS drama “Good Partner 2” in the second half of this year, while New Point, which has signed content supply agreements with global platforms, is expanding its global distribution through upcoming Netflix releases such as “Recharge Me” and Disney+ titles like “I Am the Sinner.”