CJ E&M, South Korea’s leading entertainment studio, is to move into the the local film production scene in Turkey in a big way. The company is to invest in and distribute 25 film titles from production houses BKM and TAFF.


The pair are Turkey’s two leading production companies, and produced six of 2017’s top ten local films. “It makes us an all-round studio that finances, produces and distributes films in Turkey,” said CJ in a statement.


The first film to be released by CJ is BKM-produced road comedy, “Yol Arkadasim 2.” Set for an October release, the film is a sequel to 2017 hit “Yol Arkadasim” which managed to sell 2.05 million tickets. A TAFF production, “Dance With the Jackals 5″ (aka “Cakallarla Dans 5” will be released in theaters in December. “Magic Carpet RIde 2” (aka “Organize Isler 2”) by director-actor Yilmaz Erdogan, is set for a January release next year. The original film was the second largest local film of 2005.


“Our strategy is to aim at success both in and out of Turkey by distributing strong films produced by the two very qualified companies,” said Go Kyung-bum, director of international business at CJ E&M. “We will not only make profits but also understand the market better and build stronger human networks, as we finance and distribute more films [in Turkey]. We are planning to expand our business in Turkey by remaking hit Turkish IP in other countries — as we have done with “Miss Granny” — by turning Korean hits into Turkish versions.” Turkish versions of “The Spy: Undercover Operation,” “Confidential Assignment” and “Miss Granny” are currently under discussion.


Following the acquisition of Turkey’s largest cinema chain, Mars Entertainment, by CJ E&M’s sister company CJ-CGV in 2016, CJ launched Turkish investment-production-distribution unit CJ Entertainment Turkey last year. It has distributed nine films to date.