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Jang Kyung-ik

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Jang Kyung-ik, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 202561 sources
Jang Kyung-ik
장경익
Born (1972-01-12) January 12, 1972 (age 54)
South Korea
Alma materKyungpook National University
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active2002 to present
Employers

Jang Kyung-ik (, born January 12, 1972) is a South Korean film producer, director, and entertainment industry leader. He rose to fame through producing major box office successes such as Miracle in Cell No. 7 and Train to Busan, each attracting audiences exceeding ten million. Additionally, he produced acclaimed television series including Descendants of the Sun, Moving, and Doctor Cha, for which he received the Best Series Producer accolade from Cine21.

As a co-founder of Next Entertainment World (NEW), Jang headed its film division and held the CEO position at its affiliate Studio&NEW. In July 2024, he was named CEO of Studio Dragon, a subsidiary under CJ ENM, reinforcing his prominent role in South Korea’s content creation sector.

Early life

Jang Kyung-ik was born on January 12, 1972. Although uncertain about his future career during his youth, his fascination with cinema grew through exposure to films like The Sound of Music and Graduation. He admired performers such as Tom Hanks, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Meg Ryan. His favorite movie, Chungking Express, offered solace during difficult phases in his twenties marked by personal challenges related to self-image and relationships. Throughout this time, he intermittently paused his education, fulfilled mandatory military duties, and engaged in language studies before ultimately completing his degree.

Initial phase at Megabox

After earning a degree in economics, Jang began his professional journey in the mobile telecommunications field. Finding the corporate environment at Shinsegi Telecommunications unsatisfying, he departed to run a web animation startup for two years. In 2002, he joined Megabox as a cinema programmer. Rapidly progressing to lead the programming department, he oversaw film scheduling and acquisition across Megabox’s network of 19 theaters nationwide. The team consisted mainly of seasoned cinema professionals rather than film scholars and concentrated on audience insights by evaluating film titles, promotional materials, trailers, critical reviews, online discussions, and preview screenings to estimate potential performance. They recognized word-of-mouth as a vital factor influencing success.

During his seven-year tenure at Megabox, Jang worked closely with Kim Woo-taek. As an early team leader, he organized Japanese and European film festivals and introduced the 'Movie On Style' brand focused on marketing and distributing art-house films. This experience intensified his passion for cinema and inspired him to pursue establishing a film company—a goal supported by Kim Woo-taek for their joint venture.

Formation of Next Entertainment World (NEW)

In 2008, Jang, together with Kim Woo-taek, Kim Hyeong-cheol, Kim Jae-min, and Park Jun-kyung, established Next Entertainment World (NEW). While Jang took charge of the film division, the other co-founders oversaw investment, distribution, and marketing respectively. The acronym 'NEW' represents innovation and fresh starts, embodying their dedication to creativity rather than traditional industry practices.

Jang and Kim Woo-taek cultivated a 'club culture' that prioritized minimal meetings, individual accountability, and transparent communication. NEW's achievements are attributed to a workplace where employees freely voice their ideas regardless of hierarchy, facilitating consensus-based decision-making. Their approach to investment and distribution emphasizes shared responsibility and adaptability, operating without owning multiplex theaters and relying on external market dynamics for strategic choices.

By 2010, NEW had distributed nine films with moderate or low budgets such as Poongsan and Blind, with six titles breaking even—yielding a 66.7% success rate significantly above the industry average of 24.6%.

NEW made a significant market impact by 2012 with successful films including Unbowed, All About My Wife, The Grand Heist, and Pietà. Produced by Aura Pictures on a modest ₩1.5 billion budget, Unbowed gained traction through strong word-of-mouth after its limited release during Lunar New Year 2012. It ranked as South Korea’s third most-watched movie in the first quarter of 2012 with 3.4 million admissions.

All About My Wife surpassed expectations by leading the local box office during its May 2012 opening weekend, outperforming Hollywood hits like The Avengers and Men in Black 3. By September 2012, The Grand Heist had attracted nearly 4.9 million viewers and generated over ₩33 billion domestically within five weeks.

Kim Ki-duk’s Pietà debuted at the 69th Venice International Film Festival in September 2012, earning the Golden Lion—the first Korean film to win top honors at Venice, Cannes, or Berlin festivals. Shortly after its South Korean theatrical release, distribution rights were secured in more than 20 countries including Italy, Germany, Russia, and North America (handled by Drafthouse Films).

Capitalizing on this momentum, NEW released Miracle in Cell No. 7 in 2013. Despite competition from The Berlin File, it drew 4.6 million viewers and generated over US$30 million within two weeks. The film surpassed 10 million ticket sales in just over a month—becoming one of Korean cinema’s most lucrative hits relative to its modest budget—and exceeded 12 million admissions within 46 days.

NEW outshone major rivals CJ E&M, Showbox, and Lotte with hits such as Miracle in Cell No. 7, Hide and Seek (5.6 million viewers), and New World (4.68 million viewers).

In 2013, NEW acquired the distribution rights for The Attorney, a film inspired by the real-life Burim case during Chun Doo-hwan’s regime. Directed by first-time filmmaker Yang Woo-suk and produced by withUs Film CEO Choi Jae-won, the movie starred Song Kang-ho as a tax lawyer undergoing profound personal transformation. Although larger distributors CJ E&M and Showbox showed interest, Jang and CEO Kim Woo-taek successfully secured investment and distribution deals. With a ₩7.5 billion budget, The Attorney sold over 11 million tickets and grossed ₩82.9 billion—ranking as the second highest-grossing Korean film of that year.

Following this success, NEW encountered setbacks in 2014 as ambitious projects like Sea Fog and Big Match underperformed at the box office; Jang responded by restructuring the company.

NEW experienced its greatest surge since inception in 2016: the drama division’s Descendants of the Sun achieved viewership ratings exceeding 38%, while the film division’s Train to Busan premiered at Cannes’ Midnight Screenings in May before becoming a blockbuster hit. It was South Korea’s first film to surpass 10 million admissions in 2016 by August.

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho from an original concept by Park Joo-suk, Train to Busan starred Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok among others. Set primarily on a KTX train traveling from Seoul to Busan amid a sudden zombie outbreak, it earned $98.5 million globally on an $8.5 million budget—$80.5 million domestically plus $18 million internationally including $2.2 million in North America—solidifying NEW’s presence in the global entertainment market.

Studio&NEW

Founded in September 2016, Studio&NEW () specializes in producing premium films and dramas, building upon the production experience gained from Descendants of the Sun. Jang Kyung-ik took on the role of CEO towards the end of 2016. In June 2017, Park Jun-kyung was appointed as CEO of NEW’s (Next Entertainment World, led by CEO Kim Woo-taek) Film Division.

In 2017, CEO Jang unveiled Studio&NEW’s slate of drama projects and formalized a memorandum of understanding with JTBC.

Production for The Great Battle commenced in August 2017 and wrapped up by January 2018. Director Lee Kwang-sik undertook thorough research due to the scarcity of historical documentation. The film debuted in South Korea on September 19, 2018, carrying a 12+ age rating. Despite releasing amid strong competition from other major titles, the movie was produced with a budget of 15 billion won and attracted an audience of 4.52 million by the end of September. It secured distribution deals across more than 32 countries, including a North American premiere on September 21, 2018, followed by a video-on-demand release on October 24.

In January 2018, Studio&NEW successfully raised Series A funding amounting to 34.3 billion won from investors including KT Skylife. Later that year, the company expanded its operations to include actor management. By September 2019, an additional Series B investment of 22 billion won was secured, bringing total funding to 56.3 billion won.

On January 9, 2019, Jang Kyung-ik was named CEO of NEW’s film division while continuing his leadership responsibilities at Studio&NEW starting February.

In November 2020, Studio&NEW made an equity investment in Geumwol, the film production company founded by director Park Hoon-jung. Subsequently, in April 2021, the studio entered into a long-term content distribution partnership with Disney to release Studio&NEW productions on Disney+.

By August 2023, Studio&NEW decided to withdraw from its actor management business to focus exclusively on content development and production. The company provided support to impacted employees and artists during this transition.

Between January and April 2024, Jang served as CEO overseeing content strategy at Studio&NEW before moving into an advisory position in May.

Studio Dragon

In July 2024, CJ ENM designated Jang as the chief executive officer of its affiliate Studio Dragon, highlighting a strategic commitment to enhancing content excellence.

Film

Feature films produced by NEW
Year Title Ref.
English Original
2008 Cyborg She 僕の彼女はサイボーグ [1]
2009 A Season of Good Rain 호우시절 [2]
2010 Poetry 시 [3]
Death Bell 2: Bloody Camp 고死 두번째 이야기 : 교생실습 [4]
Haunters 초능력자 [5]
Late Blossom 그대를 사랑합니다 [6]
Hello Ghost 헬로우 고스트 [7]
2011 Poongsan 풍산개 [8]
Blind 블라인드 [9]
Marrying the Mafia IV 가문의 영광4 - 가문의 수난 [10]
Unbowed 부러진 화살 [11]
Come Rain, Come Shine 사랑한다, 사랑하지 않는다 [12]
The Cat 고양이: 죽음을보는 두개의눈 [13]
2012 Dangerously Excited 나는 공무원이다 [14]
Miss Conspirator 미쓰 GO [15]
The Grand Heist 바람과 함께 사라지다 [16]
Pietà 피에타 [17]
Ghost Sweepers 점쟁이들 [18]
Love Fiction 러브 픽션 [19]
All About My Wife 내 아내의 모든 것 [20]
Love 911 반창꼬 [21]
2013 'The Attorney' "변호인" [22]
'Cold Eyes' "감시자들" [23]
'Miracle in Cell No. 7' "7번방의 선물" [24]
'New World' "신세계" [25]
'The Fake' "사이비" [26]
'Hide and Seek' "숨바꼭질" [27]
2014 'Sea Fog' "해무" [28]
'For the Emperor' "황제를 위하여" [29]
'Fashion King' "패션왕" [30]
'Man in Love' "남자가 사랑할 때" [31]
2015 'Twenty' "스물" [32]
'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant' "허삼관" [33]
'The Phone' "더 폰" [34]
'Northern Limit Line' "연평해전" [35]
'The Beauty Inside' "뷰티 인사이드" [36]
'You Call It Passion' "열정 같은 소리 하고 있네" [37]
'The Tiger' "대호" [38]
2016 'Train to Busan' "부산행" [39]
'Pandora' "판도라" [40]
2017 'Because I Love You' "사랑하기 때문에" [41]
'The Mimic' "장산범" [42]
2017 'The King' "더킹" [43]
'Lucid Dream' "루시드 드림" [44]
'One Line' "원라인" [45]
'What a Man Wants' "바람 바람 바람" [46]
'The Villainess' "악녀" [47]
'Steel Rain' '강철비' [48]


Television Series

List of television drama productions
Year Title Broadcast Network Director Production Company Ref.
English Korean
2016 Descendants of the Sun 태양의 후예 KBS2
  • KBS
  • Next Entertainment World
  • Barunson Inc.
  • Descendants of the Sun SPC
 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
2018 Ms. Hammurabi 미스 함무라비 JTBC Kwak Jung-hwan Studio&NEW [49]
The Beauty Inside 뷰티 인사이드 Song Hyun-wook
  • Studio&NEW *Yong Film
 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
2019 Chief of Staff 보좌관 Kwak Jung-hwan
  • Studio&NEW
 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
2020 Oh My Baby 오 마이 베이비 tvN Nam Ki-hoon
Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
Graceful Friends 우아한 친구들 JTBC Song Hyun-wook
  • Studio&NEW *SLL *JCN
 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
2020–2021 Delayed Justice 날아라 개천용 SBS TV Kwak Jung-hwan
  • Studio&NEW
 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
2021 Doom at Your Service 어느 날 우리 집 현관으로 멸망이 들어왔다 tvN Kwon Young-il
Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
The Devil Judge 악마판사 Choi Jung-kyu Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
2023 Doctor Cha 닥터 차정숙 JTBC
  • Kim Dae-jin
  • Kim Jung-wook

Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |} ! scope="row" |2023–2024 |'Tell Me That You Love Me' |'사랑한다고 말해줘' |'ENA' |'Kim Yoon-jin' | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content |}

Web Series

Web-based series productions
Year Title Streaming Platform Director Production Company Credits as Reference(s)
English Korean Planner Investor
2022 Rookie Cops 너와 나의 경찰수업 Disney+ Kim Byung-soo
  • Studio&NEW
  • The Walt Disney Company (Korea)
 No Yes [50]
2023 'Moving' '무빙' 'Park In-je' '
  • Studio&NEW
  • Mr. Romance
  • The Walt Disney Company (Korea)
' 		Yes' Yes' ' [51][52]'
2024 'The Tyrant' '폭군' 'Park Hoon-jung' '
  • Goldmoon
  • Studio&NEW
' 		No' Yes' ' [53][54]'


Awards and Nominations

Award Year Category Nominee(s) / Work(s) Outcome Reference
APAN Star Awards 2023 Drama of the Year Moving Template:Nom [55]
Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards 2023 Best Creative Template:Won [56]
Best Visual Effects Template:Won
Cine21 Film Awards 2023 Series Producer of the Year Doctor Cha
Moving 		Template:Won [57]
Critics' Choice Awards 2024 Best Foreign Language Series Moving Template:Nom [58]
Grand Bell Awards 2023 Best Series Template:Won

[59]

Official Recognitions

Country, Year, and Award Details
Country Award Event Year Recognition Reference
South Korea Korean Content Awards 2024 Order of Cultural Merit
for significant contributions to the advancement of broadcasting and video industries 		[60][61]

External links

  1. ↑ KMDb
  2. ↑ KMDb
  3. ↑ KMDb
  4. ↑ KMDb
  5. ↑ KMDb
  6. ↑ KMDb
  7. ↑ KMDb
  8. ↑ KMDb
  9. ↑ KMDb
  10. ↑ KMDb
  11. ↑ KMDb
  12. ↑ KMDb
  13. ↑ KMDb
  14. ↑ KMDb
  15. ↑ KMDb
  16. ↑ KMDb
  17. ↑ KMDb
  18. ↑ KMDb
  19. ↑ KMDb
  20. ↑ KMDb
  21. ↑ KMDb
  22. ↑ KMDb
  23. ↑ KMDb
  24. ↑ KMDb
  25. ↑ KMDb
  26. ↑ KMDb
  27. ↑ KMDb
  28. ↑ KMDb
  29. ↑ KMDb
  30. ↑ KMDb
  31. ↑ KMDb
  32. ↑ KMDb
  33. ↑ KMDb
  34. ↑ KMDb
  35. ↑ KMDb
  36. ↑ KMDb
  37. ↑ KMDb
  38. ↑ KMDb
  39. ↑ KMDb
  40. ↑ KMDb
  41. ↑ KMDb
  42. ↑ KMDb
  43. ↑ KMDb
  44. ↑ KMDb
  45. ↑ KMDb
  46. ↑ KMDb
  47. ↑ KMDb
  48. ↑ KMDb
  49. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ref1
  50. ↑ Lee Kyung-ho (June 5, 2021). [단독]박유나, '너와 나의 경찰수업' 합류..강다니엘X채수빈과 호흡 [[Exclusive] Park Yu-na joins 'You and My Police Class' with Kang Daniel and Chae Soo-bin] (in 한국어). Star News. Retrieved June 5, 2021 – via Naver.
  51. ↑ Kang Ae-ran (October 14, 2021). 디즈니, 강풀 원작 '무빙'·강다니엘 드라마 데뷔작 첫선(종합) [Disney debuts Kang Full's original 'Moving' and Kang Daniel's drama debut (comprehensive)]. Yonhap News Agency (in 한국어). Naver. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  52. ↑ "KMDb - Moving". Korean Movie Database. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  53. ↑ Moon Ji-yeon (October 19, 2022). [단독] 김선호, 복귀 차근차근 준비 중..'폭군' 촬영→'해시의 신루' 합류 [[Exclusive] Kim Seon-ho gradually preparing for comeback with filming 'Tyrant' and joining 'The New Row of Hashes'] (in 한국어). Sports Chosun. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Naver.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Citation/CS1/Suggestions' not found.
  55. ↑ Dash, Pratyusha (December 31, 2023). "King The Land's Lee Junho and YoonA, Lee Sung Kyung, Red Velvet's Yeri, and more win at 2023 APAN Star Awards".
  56. ↑ Rosser, Michael (October 8, 2023). "Korean Disney+ series 'Moving' sweeps Asia Contents Awards including top prize".
  57. ↑ Lee, Yu-chae (2023-12-15). [특집] 올해의 제작사 - <닥터 차정숙> <무빙> 장경익 스튜디오앤뉴 대표, 올해의 스탭 - 달파란 <무빙> 음악감독. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  58. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (December 5, 2023). "'The Morning Show' & 'Succession' lead Critics Choice Awards TV Nominations". {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  59. ↑ Lee Ha-neul & Oh Seung-hyeon. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  60. ↑ Kim, Ki-jung (2012-12-24). "Jang Kyung-ik, CEO of Studio Dragon, awarded Order of Cultural Merit". Seoul Shinmun (in 한국어). Retrieved 2025-08-04.
  61. ↑ "대한민국콘텐츠대상: 2024 수상자(작)". Korea Content Award (in 한국어). 2024-12-24. Retrieved 2025-08-04.

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