GenZ♡CJ ENM | CJ ENM

GenZCJ ENM vol.6

Connecting Moments: Bridging the New Generation and
Trendsetter,
Gen Z and the Leader of the Entertainment
Scene, CJ ENM

Insight on CJ ENM’s Content
Captivating Gen Z

Narratives on Competition Driving
Gen Zs Wild These Days

Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born RAP:PUBLIC Stage Fighter of CJ ENM

“Competition” is one of the most-loved content narratives, regardless of gender and age. This is because stimulating rivalry and raw emotions enhances immersion, and the process of deciding the winner gives pleasure. In particular, CJ ENM's feat of pioneering the genre of K-Survival, which can be named as a proper noun for narratives on competition, stands out. From music to dance, food, survival, dating, psychology, and even comedy, CJ ENM’s production team has been keen on keeping up with the trends of the times and writing the grammar of competition narratives for which viewers go wild for. With consumers’ tastes and needs rapidly changing in the era of hyper-individualization, what are the key settings for narratives on competition driving Gen Zs wild these days? Let’s examine the success strategies based on CJ ENM’s narratives on competition that made Gen Zs react.

Setting up a stage where characters
compete only with skills

Kim Tae-ri Shin Ye-eun from Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born of CJ ENM Drama

When we look at the narratives of competition that drive Gen Zs’ enthusiasm, we can spot the commonality that they depict the moments where individual competence is fully demonstrated. Viewers disapprove of the moments when people put their opponents in adversity to gain the upper hand. They feel thrilled when the characters contend in an environment where they can fully show their competence fair and square. CJ ENM’s production team focuses on setting the stage where individuals contend with skills and skills only instead of depending on luck or handicaps. Minimizing unreasonable handicap elements and highlighting the moments where characters fully demonstrate their skills keep Gen Zs immersed in the show.

Jeong-nyeon and Young-seo’s rivalry from Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born is a good example of the above. The production team portrayed the two characters as companions in a love-hate relationship who help each other grow through competition in good faith, not as enemies on the road with no exit who must drag each other down. In particular, the attitude of Young-seo, Jeong-nyeon’s competitor, is notable. When Jeong-nyeon’s voice gets severely damaged from practicing too much in a cave to pass an audition, Yeong-seo, who applied for the same role, tries to stop Jeong-nyeon from practicing. Here, she adds, “I could’ve easily won if I had played dirty tricks, but I will beat you fair and square with my skills when you’re in your best condition.” The fact that Yeong-seo sought to compete only with her skills rather than ignore Jeong-nyeon’s unfavorable conditions to win the role resonated significantly with Gen Zs.

“Yeong-seo dislikes Jeong-nyeon. However, she also secretly watches and supports Jeong-nyeon’s mindset of enjoying the performance she doesn’t have and recognizes and praises Jeong-nyeon’s unrivaled talent. And because of this respect, the rivalry was maintained to their advantage.”

Zetwork Season 15 Participant Helen

The trend of missions on survival entertainment shows is also changing into missions in which individuals are evaluated by ability from the same starting line. This setting stands out in the Mask Off Battle, the first individual round of RAP:PUBLIC. The contestants wear masks to hide their identities, and engage in a one-on-one rap battle, and only compete with their skills. The winner was decided only through rap skills, excluding their backgrounds, such as personal connections, popularity, career, or public prejudice. In setting up the individual mission, the production team raised expectations for the show by creating an environment where the contestants could fully demonstrate their skills.

“The Blind Rule adopted in RAP:PUBLIC is a system that evaluates the participants based on their skills regardless of their individual popularity, and I liked this because it increased the level of immersion by ridding preferences and prejudices.”

Zetwork Season 15 Participant Yeondoo

Convincing narratives on the qualifications
of judges/mentors

Convincing narratives on the qualifications of judges/mentors

Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born of CJ ENM Drama

In the past, narratives where a relatively lacking character grows amid various hardships were a trend. However, in recent years, stories of a readily outstanding character competing and being re-evaluated or recognized are gaining much love. Therefore, judges have become the most critical setting value. The fact that the participants made it to the program already proves that they have competence, so it is the very minor things that determine the results. As a result, whether the judges are qualified and capable of objectively evaluating the cast has become a key factor.

Gen Zs, in particular, value the information provided by experts. They even refer to scientific evidence or experts’ advice on everyday life topics such as exercising and dietary management. This is because objective grounds add trust, and professional information allows them to understand and enjoy a field more profoundly. The same applies to survival content. A judge’s subjective evaluation feels ambiguous, but a professional and objective assessment not only assists in understanding the field of expertise but also sets a clear criterion for the viewers. Not only does it help the viewers enjoy the show, but it also serves as the key that allows us to accept the results.

That is why we need a narrative that allows viewers to acknowledge the judges’ qualifications. Moon Ok-gyeong, whose charms as a reliable colleague are prominent, goes by the name of the gukgeuk topliner of the time. To make the character more convincing, the production team made an impactful scene of Ok-gyeong acting in “Jamyeonggo” from the drama’s very first episode. Outstanding gukgeuk skills, prince-like visuals, and realistic stage and costume settings amalgamated to create Ok-gyeong, the unrivaled topliner in the world of gukgeuk that anyone would affirm. Such storytelling consolidates Ok-gyeong’s role as a mentor. From offering Jeong-nyeon to join the Maeran Gukgeukdan after hearing her sing to the scene where Jeong-nyeon falls for gukgeuk watching Ok-gyeong’s “Jamyeonggo,” the scene where Ok-gyeong teaches Jeong-nyeon to sing, dance, and act to pass the auditions, and moments where Ok-gyeong helps Jeong-nyeon, who struggles acting, made the drama more immersive to watch.

“I like the relationship between Ok-gyeong and Jeong-nyeon the most from Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born. Ok-gyeong is a top star and the figure who leads Jeong-nyeon to set foot into gukgeuk. She played a considerable role as a senior colleague and Jeong-nyeon’s mentor, and I loved the chemistry from this.”

Zetwork Season 15 Participant Aing

The same goes for survival shows. The production team for Stage Fighter organized a Coach Team, comprising those who reached the peak of their careers in their respective fields—and introduced the roles of Master and Rehearsal Director to improve the overall finesse of the show. They convinced the viewers of the judges’ expertise by unraveling their objective feedback and coaching scenes. Professional reviews help viewers who are unfamiliar with the respective field understand and make everyone nod. Matthew, the rehearsal director of Stage Fighter, was in the Gen Z spotlight for his professionalism through his delicate evaluations and pointing out what needs improvement. Matthew proved his professionalism and adequacy as a judge when he guided a dancer who had to attempt emotional acting by saying, “Emotions can be shown not only through facial expressions but also through movement,” and prevented him from clouding his judgments.

“I don’t know much about dance, so I didn’t know what the big deal was about the judges of Stage Fighter. However, after seeing the proven skills of Masters, Directors, and Coaches through the introductory videos and the screening processes, I grew stronger faith in them. What I love the most, in particular, is how Matthew’s seriousness in the auditions and his considerate attitude to the dancers stand out.”

Zetwork Season 15 Participant Button

Adding a “Kick” rule to bring out
an unpredictable wow factor

Adding a “Kick” rule to bring out an unpredictable wow factor

The characters’ outstanding skills have become the default of narratives on competition. So, new methods beyond individual competence are needed to attract Gen Z’s views and interests. Therefore, setting unforeseen rules to create an unexpected flow has become essential. Factors that can demonstrate something plus alpha aside from skills, such as a game-changing strategic war, creativity to maximize visuals, etc., add tension because the results are hard to predict. Such factors create not only outcomes but also moments with notable wow factors in the process of carrying out the missions.

RAP:PUBLIC is rewriting the legend in every episode by adding unconventional rules to each mission. For example, the Block Battle added a rule that didn’t limit the number of participants, so it can result in a scene where one person beats all on the opposing team, which is cathartic. Or, unlike previous battles, instilling a battle between the leaders who nominated candidates to be eliminated instead of a battle between potential elimination candidates raised tension. And unlike other hip-hop survival shows, political elements are added to maximize mind games. For example, Kaogaii maximized the show’s entertainment factor by making use of excellent strategies for each battle. He used lies to recruit rappers from other teams and also recruited a hopeless member in preparation for the worst. In response, viewers paid attention to Kaogaii, offering a novel pleasure by adding a kick called strategy.

For Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born, the conditions for the auditions for the child role of “The Fool and the Princess” highlighted such aspects. Usually, roles are auditioned individually, but a new condition was added—the characters had to participate in pairs. The new condition was a new kick to the viewers, who had only predicted the rivalry between Jeong-nyeon and Yeong-seo. As a result, a new synergy between Jeong-nyeon and Cho-rok was created and became an overwhelming wow factor.

“Impulsive and unpredictable elements enhance the immersion. Rather than just simple games or stories on competition, when tasks are added spontaneously, or conditions are changed, the relevant parties exhibit agility and creativity, creating unconventional and entertaining scenes to make it more immersive.”

Zetwork Season 15 Participant Cheeze

Let’s summarize everything that's been mentioned so far.

These days, plausible competition narratives for Gen Zs must set the stage to let individuals’ potential shine. They must have a story to highlight and convince everyone that the judges are qualified and are undoubtedly at the top of their careers, and also a device to add unexpected rules to derive whole-new wow factors. Such factors make Gen Zs feel cathartic. CJ ENM, which has been at the forefront of competition narratives for decades, will continue to read trends and create programs Gen Zs show enthusiasm for.

Showing the essence of narratives on competition a genealogy of CJ’s Content

Street Woman Fighter

Watch carefully. This is how women fight. A dance battle of eight crews aiming for the top spot on the global streets

Street Man Fighter

A hot dance battle between talented male dance crews. A fierce dance battle of talented male dance crews with overwhelming power and skills

Stage Fighter

Prove yourself only with your body! A fierce class war stage of dancers fighting with their bodies

QUEENDOM

Which girl group will be the best chosen by the global audience? Leading K-Pop girl groups’ fierce comeback war

Road To Kingdom: Ace Of Ace

Who is the KING? An extreme K-Pop performance survival show where groups must battle out with only performances regardless of experience

BOYS PLANET

Boy band trainees from all over the world have gathered. A next-generation K-Pop survival to become a boy band created and made to debut by a global fandom

I-LAND 2 N/α

The birth of a new girl group to lead the world of K-Pop! A breakthrough in girl group debut survival

Girls Planet 999

Only nine girls will achieve their dreams of debuting! A never-before-seen Korean, Chinese, and Japanese girl group debut survival

Produce 101 of CJ ENM Entertainment show

PRODUCE 1011

Who will be the eleven members to make their debut dreams come true? A project to foster 101 trainees who have gathered from all over the world for their dreams

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Who is the rapper who will complete the masterpiece to lead Korean hip-hop? Korea's representative hip-hop survival program

RAP:PUBLIC

Forget age and experience. I’ll beat all of you! A real hip-hop survival using rap as a weapon for strategic survival

High School Rapper

The real hip-hop of teenagers to awaken the world. Korea's first high school rap competition to make one's very own rap

King Of Karaoke: VS of CJ ENM Entertainment show

MEGA Karaoke Survival: VS

Karaoke masters from all over the nation have gathered Karaoke vocalists undergo a fierce survival for 100 million won

Dish Of Nation of CJ ENM Entertainment show

Hansik Battle: The Masters

A whole new Hansik Battle encompassing the East and the West begins A global twist to the Korean cuisine survival

The Dessert

The real-life version of Yumeiro Patissiere! Ten dessert chefs engage in Korea’s first sweetest and most brutal survival

Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born

You are my only rival and friend Story of spectacular singers who made the weary world endurable

Pyramid Game

Will you wreck it or endure it? A brutal class survival among students

Twenty-Five Twenty-One

Competitors, companions, a destined and star-crossed relationship Fighting every moment like the finals, Na Hee-do and Ko Yu-rim’s story of growth

Search: WWW

I’ll do anything for the best share Three women fight on the battlefield for the top search engine

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Setting up a stage where characterscompete only with skills

Setting up a stage where characterscompete only with skills

Convincing narratives on the qualificationsof judges/mentors

Convincing narratives on the qualifications of judges/mentors

Adding a “Kick” rule to bring outan unpredictable wow factor

Adding a “Kick” rule to bring out an unpredictable wow factor

Setting up a stage where characters
compete only with skills

Setting up a stage where characters
compete only with skills

Convincing narratives on the qualifications
of judges/mentors

Adding a “Kick” rule to bring out
an unpredictable wow factor