CJ ENM’s 2026 Visionary Awards Celebrate Global Storytelling

The ceremony took place on Feb. 10 at the CJ ENM Center in Seoul, where creators of six hit shows were honored for their fresh ideas. The awardees included the U. S. drama “Severance” and Korean series such as “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, ” “Boys II Planet, ” “Our Unwritten Seoul, ” and “Study Group. ” A Japanese version of “Marry My Husband” was also recognized, showing CJ ENM’s push into international projects. The event highlighted collaboration between Korean and global talent. Nicholas Weinstock, producer of “Severance, ” met with Japanese actor Takeru Satoh from the adapted series. Their meeting showed how different cultures can share a story. Since 2020, CJ ENM has named “Visionaries” those who bring new creative ideas to the industry. This year, the focus was on characters that drive a show’s success. Actors, directors, producers and writers were all celebrated for making these characters memorable. The venue was built around a theme called “Originality Construction Site. ” It symbolized that one story can lead to another.Guests were surrounded by displays that encouraged new thinking. Weinstock praised the event for valuing boldness over money. He said CJ ENM rewards storytelling, not just quarterly profits. He also admired Youn Yuh-jung, a 2021 Visionary and the first Korean actor to win an Academy Award. He mentioned watching “Minari” repeatedly just for her performance. Takeru Satoh spoke about character depth. He said actors must keep making their roles interesting for audiences. He thanked the other creators for building unforgettable characters. Park Min Young of “Marry My Husband” described the show as a second chance for her. She noted that honesty in storytelling connects with viewers worldwide. From “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, ” Lim YoonA shared her joy playing Yeon Ji-young. She described the character as strong, wise and never giving up on dreams. CJ Group vice chair Miky Lee sent a congratulatory video. She said technology brings people closer, but stories truly unite us. She promised CJ ENM will continue to support creative journeys.