South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM has significantly expanded its partnership with Amazon by launching a comprehensive collection of Korean dramas on Amazon MX Player, Amazon's free advertising-supported streaming service in India. This strategic move represents the company's intensified efforts to penetrate India's rapidly growing streaming market, which boasts a population of 1.4 billion potential viewers.
Under the new agreement, a total of 18 drama series from CJ ENM's extensive catalog will become available to Indian audiences, with content dubbed in three major regional languages: Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Many of these series have already achieved significant success in international markets and are now being introduced to Indian viewers for the first time through this ad-supported video-on-demand platform.
The rollout begins with "Lovely Runner," a globally popular romance series featuring stars Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Hye-yoon, which premiered on Amazon MX Player on Monday. This drama has captured international attention and serves as the flagship title for the partnership's launch in India.
Following the initial release, several other fan-favorite romance series will be introduced to the platform over the course of the next year. The upcoming titles include "My Lovely Liar," "Twinkling Watermelon," "Wedding Impossible," and "Delightfully Deceitful," all of which have garnered substantial followings in global markets and are expected to resonate strongly with Indian audiences.
"The demand for global content, especially Korean dramas, has grown exponentially in India," stated Amogh Dusad, director and head of content at Amazon MX Player, in an official press statement. "Through this partnership, we're bringing 18 premium K-dramas – including recent blockbusters – to Indian audiences on AVOD, many of them for the very first time."
Sebastian Kim, vice president of international content business at CJ ENM, emphasized the significance of this expansion, saying, "This launch is very meaningful as we continue to reach new audiences around the world." The partnership represents a crucial step in CJ ENM's global content distribution strategy, particularly in emerging markets with substantial growth potential.
CJ ENM's content has already demonstrated proven success in the Indian market through previous adaptations. The company's original intellectual property has been successfully localized for Indian audiences, with "Flower of Evil" being adapted into "Duranga," which ran for two successful seasons on Indian streaming platform ZEE5 and became a significant hit among local viewers.
This latest strategic initiative comes at a time when India's streaming video market is experiencing remarkable growth and presents enormous opportunities for international content providers. According to a comprehensive report released by the Korea Communications Agency in August, India's streaming video market is projected to reach $4.49 billion this year and is expected to continue its upward trajectory, reaching $5.92 billion by 2029.
The market outlook remains highly optimistic, with analysts forecasting a compound annual growth rate of 7.16 percent for the period spanning 2025 to 2029. This robust growth trajectory makes India an increasingly attractive market for global entertainment companies like CJ ENM, which are seeking to expand their international presence and tap into new revenue streams through strategic partnerships with established local platforms.
