Vice Chairperson Miky Lee of CJ ENM, won the 2022 International Emmy Directorate Award, hosted by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IATAS).
She has been recognized for aggressively globalizing Korean pop culture and establishing a foothold for Korean films and dramas in North America.
IATAS announced CJ Vice Chairperson Lee of CJ Group, the winner of the 50th International Emmy Directorate Award, on July 17.
The International Emmy Directorate Award is given to organizations or individuals who have made outstanding contributions worldwide in the broadcasting industry.
“Miky Lee is in a class of her own, a visionary leader who has harnessed her exceptional business acumen and love of her country’s culture by tirelessly spearheading the global phenomenon of the Korean Wave for over 25 years,” Bruce L. Paisner, President and CEO of the International Academy, was quoted as saying.
“The whole world witnessed her commitment to our industry and Korea when she, along with the creators of Parasite, enthusiastically accepted the Oscar for her company’s award-winning film Parasite, a historic milestone for Korean content.”
An awards ceremony for the 2022 International Emmy Directorate Award will take place in New York on Nov. 21.
Vice Chairperson Lee also will receive the Pillar Award at the 2nd Academy Museum Gala Icon Award, which will be held on Oct. 15.
The Pillar Awards are given to producers who have served as pillars for supporting culture and art and contributing to the development of films.
Winning the awards means Lee has been recognized for her contribution to the development of Korean films.
At the 2nd Academy Museum Gala Icon Awards, Julia Roberts won the Icon Award, Tilda Swinton the Visionary Award, and Steve McQueen, the director of “12 Years a Slave”, will receive the Vantage Award.
Vice Chairperson Lee led the Oscar race for “Parasite” (directed by Bong Joon-ho), which won 4 Oscars (Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Original Screen Play, Best International Feature Film) in 2019.
Lee also has been vice chairperson of the board of directors of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures since 2020, and on March 8, U.S. media, Variety, selected her as the ‘International Media Woman of the Year 2022,’ commemorating ‘International Women’s Day.’
Lee was also the executive producer of the films,”Decision to Leave” and “Broker,” which won awards at the 75th Festival de Cannes in 2022.
Under the stewardship of Vice Chairperson Lee, CJ ENM acquired U.S.-based content production studio Endeavor Content for about 920 billion won last year.
The Korean entertainment content company has been investing in expanding K-content’s global presence by building CJ Live City, a multi-purpose K-content experience complex, in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, whose dedication is slated for 2024.
Streak of Award-Winning Korean Films is Work of CJ ENM’s ‘Big Picture’
CJ ENM has poured as much as 2 trillion won in investing, distributing and producing Korean films since 1995.
Director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho’s winning the best director and the best actor awards, respectively, at the 75th Cannes Film Festival was an unprecedented achievement in Korean film history. Films “Decision to Leave” and “Broker” were financed and distributed by CJ ENM.
CJ ENM’s tenacious efforts over 27 years to develop content with a futuristic insight has paid off.
CJ ENM’s red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival started with its investing and distributing of “A bittersweet Life,” a 2005 Korean neo-noir action drama film. The film was screened out of the competition at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
Even though the film did not win any award in the film festival, its screening there brought an exciting moment to CJ ENM, which began to draw a big picture to globalize the Korean film industry in 1995.
Early this year, Korean Director Park Chan-wook and Japanese Director Hirokazu Kore-eda were rumored to make a bid for the Cannes Film Festival with Korean films.
It turned out to be a reality: taking home the best direct award for “Decision to Leave” and the best actor award of “Broker” at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
CJ ENM’s advancing two films to the competition of the film festival was almost a historic thing.
Grabbing the two awards at the Cannes Film Festival takes on significance since CJ ENM has broken the barriers between global films and Korean cinemas.
The reason is that Director Park Chan-wook teamed up with Chinese actress Tang Wei, and Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda joined forces with Korea’s representative Actor Song Kang-ho.
Public attention is focused on Director Park Chan-wook’s relationships with CJ ENM. Director Park teamed up with CJ ENM, staring with “JSA,” a 2000 thriller/action film.
They joined forces in producing “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance,” “Lady Vengeance,” “I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK,” “Thirst,” and “The Handmaiden.” They have successfully advanced three films, including the latest film “Decision to Leave” to be honored with the Cannes Film Festival.
