This story was created in paid partnership with CJ ENM.

Every year, CJ ENM honors and celebrates “visionaries” who propose a new vision in the entertainment industry with their originality and impact. Since 2020, the global IP powerhouse has used data and expert insight to name creatives excelling in their fields — and on Jan. 7, seven more incredible talents joined the ranks: KANG FULL, Kim Yong-hoon, Monika, Ryu Seung-Ryong, Song Hye-kyo, UHM JUNG HWA and Stray Kids.

Since their creation, the awards have shed a spotlight on a diverse range of creators and artists across genres and domains, encompassing everything from film to dance to webtoons. The awards’ key purpose is to provide continuous support to the figures who boldly show their originality. The 2024 Visionaries offer a strong indicator of what’s next in Korean entertainment. Past Visionary honorees have included music groups BTS and BLACKPINK, who have led the global rise of K-pop; director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who is working on the second season of the global hit series Squid Game; and director Bong Joon-ho, the first Korean creator to win the best picture Oscar with Parasite.

Many of the awardees had standout accomplishments in 2023: Director Kim Yong-hoon released Mask Girl on Netflix, showcasing his unique creative approach by casting three actresses to represent different facets of a single character. 

Webtoon artist turned screenwriter KANG FULL made his screenplay debut with Moving, a webtoon series that proposed a  new genre of “K-Superhero,” adapted as a Disney+ original last year. Acclaimed actor Ryu Seung-ryong, who’s starred in hit Korean films like Extreme Job and Miracle in Cell No. 7, even collaborated with Kang on the work, playing a key role in Moving as a show of his highly variegated abilities.

At the ceremony, Ryu expressed, “I would like to extend my thanks to storyteller KANG FULL, who gave me the opportunity to show diverse sides of myself. If I had superpowers, I would like to read and open the hearts of people, as character Hwang Ji-hee did in the series.”

Actor Song Hye-kyo also had a stellar year as the protagonist in Netflix’s The Glory, which was ranked as a top three most watched series in Netflix’s global biannual 2023 engagement report. And UHM JUNG HWA, an actor and singer who made her debut in 1993, gained widespread acclaim this year for her roles in Doctor Cha and Dancing Queens on the Road — while also performing her first concert in 24 years. 

For Uhm, receiving the award held particularly special value. “On my way here, I looked back on my past memories. I remember hearing disheartening comments when I was working on new music since it’s past my ‘prime.’ This award proves that I was right to keep doing what gives me joy and passion. It gave me the answer to the question, ‘What do I do next?’”

On the music front, eight-piece K-pop group Stray Kids were named Visionaries after topping the Billboard 200 chart with all four of their albums released over the past two years. The self-produced group also scored their first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “LALALALA” — raising the bar for achievable milestones in K-pop.

And last, but certainly not least, is dancer Monika, who returned as a judge for season two of Street Woman Fighter after starring in the series as a contestant in season one. A leader in the Korean dance scene, Monika constantly pushes the boundaries of K-dance — earning her a place as the first-ever choreographer honored as a Visionary.

During the ceremony, world-acclaimed film director and past Visionary honoree Park Chan-wook sent a surprise video message congratulating all the 2024 Visionary Awards recipients, adding “I want to especially congratulate dancer Monika, with whom I worked on my short film Life Is But a Dream. I have never witnessed such exploding creativity, diligence, and energy.”

The awards ceremony featured designs that merge past and future as one with visual motifs from Deoksu Palace’s Dondeokjeon Hall, a historic building that acted as a center of cultural exchange during the Korean Empire. CJ ENM’s 2024 Visionary Awards embody a similar ambition: to promote originality and introduce to the global audience the next big thing from Korean entertainment.