Next Entertainment World (NEW), a leading content media group, has claimed the top spot as Korea's number one film distributor by 2025, achieving record sales and returning to profitability over the past three years.
During the 18th annual shareholders' meeting held on the 26th, NEW announced consolidated sales of 142.6 billion KRW and an operating profit of 2.6 billion KRW. This marks a 26% increase in sales compared to the previous year (113.2 billion KRW), with a return to profitability. NEW attributed this success to a robust value chain across the content industry, from securing intellectual property (IP) to distribution and generating additional revenue streams.
The company's core business of film investment and distribution regained its leading position with a differentiated lineup focused on profitability. According to the '2025 Korean Film Industry Settlement Report' by the Korean Film Council, NEW achieved a 23.4% audience share and a 22.9% revenue share in the domestic film market, led by last year's top-grossing Korean film, 'Zombie Daughter.'
In addition to box office revenue, NEW maximized profits through over 20 ancillary rights contracts and global sales initiatives. The steady growth of its subsidiaries also strengthened the company's overall fundamentals. Studio&NEW's dramas 'Good Boy' and 'Annoying Love' contributed to stable revenue, while all business sectors, including music, theater, and media tech, solidified their foundations to drive profit growth.
NEW plans to solidify its profitability in 2026 by actively expanding its revenue pipeline through partnerships. Director Ryoo Seung-wan's film 'Humint' will be released worldwide on Netflix on April 1st. The Netflix release of 'Humint,' which received praise for the powerful performances of Jo In-sung, Park Jung-min, Park Hae-joon, and Shin Se-kyung, diversifies revenue streams.
The expansion of upcoming lineups and new businesses is also seen as a momentum driver for growth in 2026. Studio&NEW aims for consecutive hits with season 2 of the mega-hit IP 'Good Partner,' confirmed for SBS programming. The newly established production subsidiary, New Point, is working on the Netflix series 'Recharge Me,' targeting a global audience.
New ID, Asia's number one FAST company, has established alliances with over 30 major overseas platforms and is positioned as a next-generation key player in the globalization of K-content through digital distribution innovation combined with media tech.
A NEW representative stated, "As an IP holder, we were able to maximize profits by optimally matching the appeal of each work with the characteristics of domestic and international platforms. We will continue to discover diverse content to create added value and establish a virtuous cycle of stable revenue."
Reporter: Kim Ji-won, TenAsia bella@tenasia.co.kr