KWM's 'What If Us' Surpasses 2.5 Million Viewers... Netflix Film 'Pavane' Achieves Global Top 5

K-Wave Media Logo / Photo by K-Wave Media

Comprehensive media group K-Wave Media (hereinafter referred to as KWM) is achieving a series of box office successes in both theaters and the OTT market.

The film "What If Us," invested in by KWM, has attracted a cumulative audience of 2.59 million, continuing its box office run. Since its release on December 31 of last year, the actors’ performances, the direction of Kim Do-Young, and the highly relatable story have generated positive word of mouth and drawn in audiences. It is the first time in seven years that a melodrama film has surpassed 2 million viewers, following "Crazy Romance" in 2019. KWM's investment strategy, which has focused on the essence of content, is being credited for these results.

KWM has also seen success in the OTT sector. "Pavane," a Netflix film produced by KWM’s subsidiary The Lamp, topped Netflix Korea’s Top 10 Movies just one day after its release. After one week, it ranked fifth globally according to OTT viewing ranking website FlixPatrol. The Lamp, known for balancing popularity and artistry through works such as "A Taxi Driver" and "Runaway," is once again being recognized for its global competitiveness with this latest project.

Photo by K-Wave Media

This series of successes demonstrates that KWM’s production model—centered on expanding its content lineup through individual production labels—is translating into market results. In May of last year, KWM successfully became the first domestic media content company to be listed on the Nasdaq in the United States, and has since built a structure that combines content investment and production.

Currently, KWM is expanding its in-house production lineup through labels such as The Lamp, Bidangil Film, Studio Anjailen, and Appeitda, and plans to increase direct investment at the headquarters level. In addition, the company is working on developing a funding platform to strengthen its content investment capabilities.

A KWM representative stated, "The success of 'What If Us' and 'Pavane' is the result of the organic interplay between investment and production capabilities," adding, "We will continue to expand our investment in and production of high-quality content going forward."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.