Artist United, a leading comprehensive entertainment company in Korea, has signed a strategic partnership with MBN while securing an approximately 13.5 million USD(18 billion KRW) investment from MBN and key subsidiaries of the Maeil Business Newspaper Group. With this investment, Artist United plans to secure stable production funds and accelerate its expansion into the global K-content market.

Recently, Artist United transformed into an integrated entertainment company by merging Artist United and Artist Company, combining management, content production, and distribution functions. With experience in producing globally successful works such as Hunt and The Silent Sea, the company aims to further enhance its business competitiveness with this investment.

Through its collaboration with MBN, Artist United is expected to establish an “All-in-One System” covering content production, distribution, and broadcasting, positioning itself as a potential second Studio Dragon.

A representative from Artist United stated, “We consider this investment not just as financial support but as a strategic alliance. MBN’s investment will facilitate the production of blockbuster projects targeting the global market. Through seamless cooperation in co-production, programming, and broadcasting, we aim to maximize production efficiency.” The company also expressed optimism, saying, “As the content production environment becomes increasingly challenging, this collaboration will serve as a meaningful model for the industry.”

MBN also commented on the partnership, stating, “With the growing global expansion potential of K-content, we anticipate synergy by combining Artist United’s production capabilities with the media platform of Maeil Business Newspaper Group. We also plan to produce and air killer content, such as dramas, on our own channels.”

MBN has recently expanded its drama production and programming, introducing various genres, including Perfect Marriage Revenge, The Crown Prince Has Disappeared, and Bad Memory Eraser.

Additionally, attention is drawn to the potential utilization of Targeting Gates, an AdTech platform owned by Artist United, as part of this collaboration. By integrating its personalized consumer behavior analysis technology with MBN’s media platform, the company expects to create new revenue models through customized content production and targeted advertising.

Another notable aspect of this partnership is Artist United’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the AI startup Perplexity. Perplexity has been expanding AI-based partnerships across major industries such as finance, telecommunications, entertainment, and media. Its collaboration with Artist United is expected to enhance content production efficiency further.

Industry experts believe this investment aligns with recent indications of China lifting its restrictions on Korean content (Hallyu ban), potentially boosting the growth of the K-content production industry. As Artist United’s production capabilities merge with Maeil Business Newspaper Group’s media platform, the company’s competitiveness in the global market is expected to strengthen. As a result, there is growing interest in Artist United’s future business expansion and financial performance.