CJ Group, commonly referred to as CJ, is a major South Korean conglomerate with business interests spanning food and food services, biotechnology, logistics and retail, and entertainment and media. Established in 1953 as CheilJedang, the group has evolved from a sugar manufacturer into a global lifestyle and culture company. It plays a prominent role in the international expansion of K-food and K-culture.1

The group describes itself as a “Global Lifestyle Company”, with a corporate philosophy centred on the ONLYONE spirit: being first, best, and different.2

CJ was originally part of the business empire associated with Samsung. CheilJedang began as a manufacturing company in 1953 and separated from Samsung in the 1990s. The CJ Group itself was formally established in 2002.3

The name CJ derives from the company’s historical name, CheilJedang (제일제당), which formed the basis of its original identity.

CheilJedang began as a food manufacturer and served as the foundation for the modern CJ Group. After expanding beyond food into entertainment, logistics, retail, biotechnology and other industries, the group adopted CJ as its overarching corporate identity.4

A key distinction exists between the entities:

CJ Group ≠ CJ CheilJedang

CJ Group is the broader corporate group, whilst CJ CheilJedang is one of its principal subsidiaries, specifically responsible for food and biotechnology.

1953–1960s: The beginning

CJ’s history began in 1953 with the establishment of CheilJedang Co., Ltd.

Its first significant achievement was producing Korea’s first domestically manufactured sugar. At the time, sugar was a vital consumer product in post-war Korea. The company subsequently expanded into flour, seasoning and other food products.5

Key milestones during this period included:

• 1953 — CheilJedang established
• 1958 — Entered flour manufacturing
• 1962 — Began exporting sugar
• 1963 — Entered the seasoning business
• 1965 — Launched the Beksul food brand

Beksul subsequently became one of the most recognised Korean food brands.6

1970s–1980s: Diversification

CJ gradually moved beyond sugar to develop a broad food portfolio.

Significant developments included:

• 1973 — Entered animal feed
• 1975 — Launched Dasida seasoning
• 1978 — Established a food research centre
• 1979 — Entered cooking oil
• 1980 — Entered meat processing
• 1987 — Entered frozen foods
• 1988 — Expanded its biotechnology business into Indonesia

This era transformed CheilJedang from a sugar producer into a diversified food and biotechnology company.7

A pivotal event in CJ’s corporate history was its separation from the Samsung business group.

In 1993, CheilJedang declared independent management, and in 1996 the CheilJedang Group was formally established.8

This independence allowed the company to pursue a broader strategy beyond food manufacturing. During the 1990s, CJ entered several new industries:

• Food service
• Restaurants
• Film
• Television and media
• Cinema
• Information technology
• Construction
• Logistics
• Retail

This diversification laid the groundwork for the modern CJ Group.

The 1990s and early 2000s were critical to CJ’s transformation.

1994

CJ entered the dining and food-service businesses.

1995

The group entered information systems, construction and film.

1996

The CheilJedang Group was established and CJ entered the cinema industry. It also launched Hetbahn, which became Korea’s iconic packaged instant-rice brand.9

1997

CJ launched the VIPS steakhouse and TOUS les JOURS bakery chain. It also expanded into media and entered the Philippine animal-feed industry.

1998

CJ established CJ GLS, the predecessor of today’s CJ Logistics, and opened CGV Gangbyeon 11, Korea’s first multiplex cinema.

1999

CJ launched Olive Young, Korea’s first health-and-beauty store.10

2000

CJ established CJ Entertainment, the predecessor of today’s CJ ENM entertainment business.

These initiatives established the four broad pillars that define CJ: Food → Bio → Logistics/Retail → Entertainment/Media.

In 2002, the CJ Group was formally established.11

This marked a repositioning from a traditional food manufacturer to a diversified lifestyle and culture conglomerate. The company increasingly sought to influence everyday life through:

• What people eat
• How food is distributed
• Where people shop
• How people watch movies
• What music and television they consume
• How Korean culture reaches international audiences

A defining aspect of CJ today is its role in the globalisation of Korean culture.

Rather than simply investing in entertainment, CJ built an ecosystem covering production, distribution, cinemas, music, television, streaming, food and consumer experiences.

Major milestones include:

2006

CJ launched tvN, which became one of Korea’s major entertainment channels.

2009

CJ introduced 4DX, a cinema technology designed to add physical and environmental effects to films.

2010

CJ launched bibigo, now one of its most important global K-food brands. It also launched CJ ONE, its integrated membership service.12

2011

CJ established CJ E&M, which later became part of CJ ENM.

2012

CJ launched KCON in Los Angeles. KCON became a significant international platform for K-pop and Korean popular culture.13

2016

CJ established Studio Dragon, which became a major Korean drama-production company.

2020

The CJ-backed film Parasite won the Academy Award for Best Picture, a landmark moment for Korean cinema and one of the most internationally visible achievements associated with CJ’s entertainment ecosystem.14

Today, CJ organises its businesses into four major sectors.15

Food & Food Service

This sector is closest to CJ’s historical roots. The primary entity is CJ CheilJedang, which produces food, ingredients and related products.

Major brands and businesses include:

• bibigo
• Beksul
• Hetbahn
• Dasida
• CJ Foods
• CJ Foodville
• CJ Freshway
• TOUS les JOURS
• VIPS

bibigo

bibigo represents CJ’s effort to establish Korean food as a global consumer category. Its product range includes Korean-style mandu (dumplings), kimchi, rice, seaweed, sauces and ready-to-eat foods.

CJ reports that global bibigo mandu sales surpassed KRW 1 trillion in 2020.16

Biotechnology

CJ’s biotechnology business grew out of its food-production expertise. The company produces various food ingredients, amino acids, feed ingredients, specialty ingredients and bio-based materials.

CJ has also expanded into newer areas such as microbiome research, health and wellness, and biodegradable materials. In 2022, CJ launched CJ Bioscience and CJ Wellcare as part of this expansion.17

This substantial industrial biotechnology operation distinguishes CJ from other entertainment-oriented Korean conglomerates.

Logistics & New Distribution

CJ Logistics operates across supply-chain management, transportation, warehousing, parcel delivery, e-commerce logistics, global logistics and industrial logistics.

CJ describes logistics as a key component of its strategy to become a global supply-chain-management company.18 This business connects CJ’s consumer businesses to customers worldwide, supporting the broader ecosystem by linking food production to retailers and consumers.

Olive Young and retail

CJ Olive Young has become a central part of CJ’s modern identity. Founded in 1999 as Korea’s first health-and-beauty store,19 it has evolved into a lifestyle and beauty retailer strongly associated with K-beauty.

Its assortment includes skincare, cosmetics, haircare, personal care, health products and lifestyle items. Olive Young serves as an important discovery platform for Korean beauty brands, helping smaller companies reach international consumers. CJ describes it as a global lifestyle platform.20

This sector is arguably the most internationally recognisable aspect of CJ.

CJ ENM

CJ ENM is one of Korea’s largest entertainment and media companies. Its activities encompass television, film, music, live entertainment, content production, distribution and global entertainment. Its brands and properties include tvN, Mnet, KCON and MAMA Awards.21

Studio Dragon

Studio Dragon is a major Korean drama-production company and part of CJ’s broader content ecosystem.

TVING

TVING is a Korean streaming platform that emerged from CJ’s media operations.

CJ CGV

CJ CGV operates cinemas and develops cinema experiences and technologies including CGV, 4DX, SCREENX, IMAX-related experiences and premium cinema concepts.

CGV has expanded to hundreds of locations internationally, whilst 4DX and SCREENX have become significant technology-driven cinema products.22

CJ’s current affiliate structure officially groups these businesses under its four major sectors.23

CJ’s corporate philosophy is built around ONLYONE, defined as:

First, Best, Different

In practice, CJ aims to create products, services and business models that are differentiated from competitors rather than replicating existing businesses.24

The group identifies its broader values as:

• OnlyOne — First, Best, Differentiation
• Talent — Exceptional talent and strong/adaptive culture
• Shared Growth — Building ecosystems and shared value

Its behavioural principles are integrity, passion, creativity and respect.

The modern CJ logo is known as the CJ Blossom. The company’s three signature colours represent health, happiness and convenience.

The Blossom symbolises CJ as something blooming and expanding towards global markets, whilst also representing a fresh and approachable corporate image.25

This aligns with CJ’s positioning as a Global Lifestyle Company, encouraging consumers to view it as an entity influencing multiple aspects of everyday life rather than solely a food manufacturer.

CJ’s distinctive characteristic is its connection between commerce and culture:

• Food: bibigo introduces Korean flavours internationally.
• Beauty: Olive Young introduces Korean beauty products and trends.
• Entertainment: CJ ENM produces and distributes Korean movies, dramas and music.
• Cinema: CGV provides venues and technologies for consuming entertainment.
• Logistics: CJ Logistics helps move products through global supply chains.

This creates an ecosystem in which CJ participates in both the creation and distribution of Korean lifestyle products and cultural content. CJ explicitly states that it aims for people worldwide to enjoy Korean movies, food, dramas and music as part of their everyday lives.26

CJ has progressively expanded from Korea into major international markets, including the United States, China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Brazil, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Europe and the Middle East.

Recent expansion has continued through food manufacturing, logistics, entertainment and retail. For example, CJ’s 2025 milestones included a new CheilJedang factory in Chiba, Japan, a CJ Logistics distribution centre in Saudi Arabia, expanded TVING global channels, and a new CJ Foodville factory in Georgia, USA.27

The United States has become particularly important to CJ. Its American activities include CJ CheilJedang food businesses, bibigo, CJ Logistics, CJ ENM entertainment, CJ CGV, Olive Young and Foodville / TOUS les JOURS.

CJ’s food business expanded significantly through its acquisition of Schwan’s Company in 2019.28

More recently, Olive Young has begun expanding its physical retail presence in the United States. CJ announced its first U.S. Olive Young store in Pasadena in June 2026, signalling that K-beauty is becoming another major component of CJ’s international strategy.29

CJ is closely associated with the commercialisation and international expansion of the Korean Wave (Hallyu). Its contribution extends beyond financing entertainment to include:

• K-food: bibigo, CJ CheilJedang
• K-beauty: Olive Young
• K-pop: Mnet, KCON, MAMA
• K-drama: tvN, Studio Dragon, TVING
• K-film: CJ ENM and its film operations
• Cinema: CGV, 4DX, SCREENX

Consequently, CJ is often understood as a K-culture ecosystem rather than simply a Korean conglomerate.

• 1953: CheilJedang founded; Korea’s first domestic sugar production.30
• 1965: Beksul launched.
• 1975: Dasida launched.
• 1993: CheilJedang begins independent management.
• 1996: CheilJedang Group established; Hetbahn launched; CJ enters cinema.
• 1997: TOUS les JOURS and VIPS launched.
• 1998: CGV opens Korea’s first multiplex; CJ enters logistics.
• 1999: Olive Young launched.
• 2002: CJ Group formally established.
• 2006: tvN launched.
• 2009: 4DX launched.
• 2010: bibigo launched.
• 2011: CJ E&M established.
• 2012: KCON launched in Los Angeles.
• 2016: Studio Dragon established.
• 2019: CJ CheilJedang acquired Schwan’s Company.
• 2020: Parasite won Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
• 2021: CJ ENM entered a global film-production partnership through Endeavor Content.
• 2022: CJ Bioscience and CJ Wellcare launched.
• 2023: CJ celebrated its 70th anniversary.
• 2024: Olive Young opened its first innovation store, Olive Young N Seongsu.
• 2025: CJ expanded its international food, logistics, cinema and streaming operations.31

Whilst CJ shares characteristics with other major Korean conglomerates, its identity is relatively distinctive. Companies such as Samsung, Hyundai and LG are strongly associated with electronics, automobiles, heavy industry, technology and manufacturing.

CJ, by contrast, is concentrated around lifestyle, food, culture, distribution and entertainment.

CJ’s strategy is essentially to turn everyday lifestyle and culture into globally scalable businesses.

CJ is significant for three primary reasons.

Transformation from food manufacturing to lifestyle conglomerate

The company started with sugar in 1953 but eventually expanded into cinema, television, music, logistics, beauty, biotechnology and retail.32

Commercialisation of Korean culture

Through KCON, Mnet, CJ ENM, CGV, Studio Dragon, bibigo and Olive Young, CJ has created channels through which international consumers encounter Korean culture.

Connection between culture and physical commerce

CJ is unusual because its ecosystem encompasses the entire journey: Create → Produce → Market → Distribute → Retail → Consume.

For example, a Korean food product can be produced by CJ CheilJedang, transported via CJ Logistics and sold through global retail channels, whilst CJ’s entertainment businesses simultaneously promote Korean culture that enhances the product’s cultural appeal.

CJ is a South Korean global lifestyle conglomerate that evolved from a 1953 sugar manufacturer into a diversified group spanning food, biotechnology, logistics, retail, beauty, cinema, television, music and digital entertainment—and is now one of the major corporate forces behind the globalisation of K-food and K-culture.33

1. History | CJ Group
2. Our Company – CJ Newsroom
3. CJ Group Introduction | CJ America
4. | | | — | — | — | — | | C1 |
5. History | CJ Cheiljedang
6. CJ Group History | CJ America
7. 소개 | CJ그룹
8. 계열사 | CJ그룹
9. 소개 | CJ그룹
10. Press Release | CJ America
11. CJ미디어라이브러리 – CJ NEWSROOM
12. Food Industry Veterans See CJ as One Team
13. CJ’s Golf Dreams: ‘Dream bigger, goal higher’
14. Chairman Lee: ‘Only One, Next One, Number One’
15. CJ Chairman Lee Visits THE CJ CUP 2026 – CJ NEWSROOM
16. CJ그룹 2026년 정기임원인사 단행 – CJ 뉴스룸
17. How CJ Fosters Global Talent Ep 3: Where Dreams “Blossom” for Scientists
18. The Evolution of Korea’s First Sugar Manufacturer Over 70 Years
19. CJ대한통운으로 설렘이 오네(O-NE)! 오네 기획 비하인드 스토리 – CJ 뉴스룸
20. Part 8: The History of CJ CheilJedang – CJ Newsroom
21. “백설표 하면 믿을 수 있게” 브랜드를 키우다 – CJ 뉴스룸
22. 스튜디오드래곤, 글로벌 진출 가속화할 신규 CI · 슬로건 공개 – CJ 뉴스룸
23. CJ ENM 출범 10주년, CI 리뉴얼 및 브랜드 재정비 – CJ 뉴스룸
24. 연혁 | CJ그룹
25. ABOUT CJ – CJ NEWSROOM
26. CJ그룹
27. CJ Group Entertainment & Media | CJ America
28. CJ Group Entertainment & Media | CJ America
29. CJ Logos | Media Assets – CJ Newsroom
30. CJグループ紹介 | CJ Japan
31. CJ Group Food & Food Service | CJ America
32. Affiliates | CJ Group
33. CJ Group | Media Assets – CJ Newsroom