K-Culture’s Global Rise: What Im Mi-kyeong’s Vision Means for Asian Creators in 2026

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[TheGooroo=Reporter Kim Hyun-soo] U.S. network CNN put Lee Mi-kyung, vice chair of CJ Group, in the spotlight as a pioneer who helped build K-culture into a sustainable global industry. From CJ’s early investment in DreamWorks to Parasite’s Academy Awards triumph, Lee’s more than 30 years shaping the K-content ecosystem were laid out for international viewers.

On May 9 (local time), CNN released the first episode of its four-part original series, K-Everything. The series explores how K-culture grew into a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Episode two, “K-Film,” follows CJ’s cultural ventures—starting with the 1995 DreamWorks investment—up through today’s global K-content era, with Lee’s leadership at the center.

In the documentary, Lee reflects on the DreamWorks deal and recalls her grandfather, the late chairman Lee Byung-chul, telling her that a nation achieves true competitiveness only when the power of culture combines with industry and economic strength. She said the entertainment sector turns intangible assets into sustainable industries and businesses, and that building infrastructure and an ecosystem is essential so creators and artists can continue producing new stories.

Lee also outlined her vision for globalizing K-culture. She said the aim is not merely to promote Korean culture but to connect people worldwide through authentic storytelling. “I hope our experiences and journey can offer possibilities and inspiration to others,” she said.

Actor Daniel Dae Kim, who hosts the documentary, described Lee as someone who long believed Korean culture would one day stand at the center of the global stage. He credited her, as CJ Group’s vice chair, with effectively constructing the industrial ecosystem that exports Korean culture worldwide. He added that CJ consistently gave promising creators platforms to reach audiences, naming director Bong Joon-ho as one example of those who benefited from sustained investment.

The program traces how Korean cinema rose to global prominence, from Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy—winner of the 2004 Cannes Jury Prize—to Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, which took four Oscars in 2020. Lee recalled Parasite’s Best Picture win as the moment she realized Korean storytelling could resonate with people well beyond Asia.

Over the past three decades, Lee has been honored for leading the globalization of Korea’s cultural industries, receiving the Academy Museum Pillar Award and the International Emmy Directorate Award in 2022, the Order of Cultural Merit (Gold Crown) in 2023, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor last year. She serves on the board of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to help Asian creators reach global audiences and continues to support the discovery of Asia-based content through the global label First Light StoryHouse.