In his 2026 New Year’s message he delivered on Jan. 2, Chmn. Sohn Kyung-shik of CJ Group stressed “a critical time for making a new leap forward” amid a rapidly changing management situation.
Chmn. Sohn said, “We often hear phrases like, ‘an era of unpredictability’ and, ‘a time when existing solutions no longer work.’ This reflects how the business environment we face is operating in ways completely different from the past.”
“There were limits to relying solely on temporary measures aimed at improving short-term performance, and this year confirmed that greater preparation is needed to strengthen mid-to-long-term competitiveness and build a foundation for future growth,” he said.
“Consumers around the world today are embracing K-lifestyles, such as K-food, K-content, and K-beauty, at an unprecedented pace. In other words, new market opportunities are opening across nearly all of our group’s business areas, including food, logistics, beauty, and content,” Chmn. Sohn said.
“This trend is not a temporary fad, but the formation of a new global consumer culture, and at its center lie the assets and experience CJ has built over the past 20 years while leading the globalization of the Korean Wave,” he said.
While changes in the business environment are far from easy, opportunities are open more widely than ever before. At this moment, when uncertainty and opportunity coexist, it is a critical time for us to declare another leap forward.
Chmn. Sohn said, “In order to turn these opportunities into tangible growth at this critical juncture, I ask all executives and employees to focus on the following three points.”
“First, continuously create small successes and spread them throughout the organization to expand organizational alignment. Second, please accelerate execution to lead the K-trend market. Third, set bold goals and challenge yourselves fearlessly.”
Chmn. Lee Jae-hyun of CJ Group, poses for a commemorative photo with Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House, a world-leading diplomatic and security think tank, in London last September.
CJ Group Chmn. Lee Completes Global Roadmap Linking Asia, U.S., Europe and Middle East
CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun has concluded a year of on-site global management tours, covering major strategic hubs across Asia, the U.S., Europe and the Middle East.
Beginning in Japan last April, the tour continued throughout the past year in the U.S., the UK, and the United Arab Emirates with the purpose of connecting the global K-wave phenomenon to CJ’s future growth engine and to personally assess the company’s worldwide growth strategy on the ground.
Throughout the year’s on-site visits, Lee emphasized the importance of seizing the current momentum of the Korean Wave (Hallyu) and expanding into new global frontiers.
Chmn. Lee chose Japan as the first destination for his global on-site management tours last year.
In April, he spent three days in Tokyo reviewing the performance of the CJ Japan headquarters and meeting with key figures across the entertainment, retail and finance industries including Sasaki Takashi, Chairman of TBS Holdings; Masahiro Okafuji, Chairman of ITOCHU Corporation; and Seiji Imai, Chairman of Mizuho Financial Group, to explore further opportunities to expand CJ’s global business.
What particularly caught Lee’s attention in Japan was the qualitative shift in how Hallyu is showing up in everyday consumer life among local Gen Z and millennial consumers.
What once spread primarily through K-pop and K-content has now evolved into a broader lifestyle ecosystem encompassing food, beauty and fashion.
Localization strategies built on strong local partnerships have emerged as a new global growth engine for Korean companies.
“The renewed popularity of the Korean wave, or Hallyu, in Japan is not just a fad, but a critical opportunity to take K-culture to the next level,” Lee emphasized.
“CJ businesses in Japan, such as bibigo, should be prepared to take hold of this opportunity.”
He went on to stress, “We must accelerate localization and global infrastructure construction to increase competitiveness and position ourselves as a global leading company.”
Chmn. Lee visited the U.S. last August as a member of the economic delegation accompanying the Korea-US summit. Widely recognized as a leading force behind the expansion of K-culture in the U.S., CJ was the only K-content company represented among the participants.
The diplomatic visit reaffirmed CJ’s standing as a company representing K-culture on the global stage.
CJ has positioned the U.S. as a core hub for its global operations, steadily expanding its food, content and logistics businesses in the region.
Since opening its LA office in 1978, CJ has developed a broad business footprint through its affiliates, including CJ Foods, CJ BIO, CJ Logistics, CJ Foodville, CJ ENM and CJ Freshway.
Cumulative investment in the U.S. has reached 7.9 trillion won (5.36 billion USD), with approximately 12,000 local employees.
In the U.S. market, CJ has built a multifaceted business structure centered on K-food, K-culture and logistics infrastructure.
As of 2024, CJ Foods recorded 4.713 trillion KRW (3.2 billion USD) in U.S. revenue and operates 20 production facilities supplying bibigo Mandu, kimchi, sauces and other products. Meanwhile, CJ Foodville continues its stable growth, operating 170 stores across 30 states.
CJ ENM acquired U.S.-based production company FIFTH SEASON in 2022, establishing a global multi-studio system.
Through KCON, the world’s leading K-pop festival, it has drawn a cumulative audience of 2.225 million, playing a central role in expanding K-culture across the U.S.
In September, Lee visited London with key executives from CJ Group to assess opportunities to expand business in Europe. This marked his first on-site management tour to the region, underscoring Europe’s strategic importance in CJ’s global expansion.
In December, Lee visited the United Arab Emirates for a week, concluding his final round of global on-site management tours for the year.
The trip marked his return to the Middle East a year after his September 2023 visit at the invitation of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, reflecting his strong confidence in the region’s growth potential.
During the visit, Lee met again with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority and CEO of the sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, to discuss opportunities for collaboration across cultural and economic sectors.
He also held meetings with Mohammed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, and Abdulla Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office, exploring concrete collaboration opportunities and business strategies across the broader cultural landscape.
These included hosting KCON, supporting content production and building global production infrastructure in areas such as media, content, tourism and sports.
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