Contentree JoongAng Returns to Profit in Q3, SLL Maintains Strong Surplus Trend
Contentree JoongAng (036420) announced on the 6th that it recorded a consolidated revenue of 278.7 billion KRW and an operating profit of 11.4 billion KRW for the third quarter of 2025, marking the highest quarterly operating profit since the COVID-19 pandemic and signaling the full-scale improvement of its profitability.
SLL, a content production company, also maintained a solid surplus trend, with accumulated operating profit reaching 14.2 billion KRW by the third quarter, reporting a consolidated revenue of 164.3 billion KRW and an operating profit of 8.3 billion KRW for the third quarter. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) increased by 117% year-on-year to 49.2 billion KRW. Key factors contributing to the improved performance include an increase in broadcast episodes due to the resumption of JTBC's Friday dramas, improvements in distribution structure, and enhanced OTT recoupment rates from platform diversification.
SLL's content lineup has continued to perform well, with the Disney+ original drama 'The Country of the Fools' entering the Global TV TOP 10, and JTBC dramas like 'Esquire' and 'A Hundred Memories' achieving viewership ratings exceeding 8%. Furthermore, dramas such as 'Good Man' and 'My Youth' expanded their global viewership by being simultaneously released domestically and internationally on platforms like Disney+ and Viu. SLL plans to sustain its hit streak by releasing new dramas such as 'The Story of Mr. Kim Who Works at a Large Corporation and Owns His Own House,' 'Waiting for Gyeongdo,' and 'The Confession of Murder' by the end of the year.
SLL's US label, wiip, achieved global No. 1 with Prime Video's 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Season 3, and its HBO Max original 'TASK' Season 1 also entered the TOP 5 most popular HBO series. wiip is expected to achieve a turnaround in performance within the year and is building a pipeline for long-term profit generation through the film adaptation of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' and confirmed deals for over 5 global OTT content deliveries.
Label Studio Slam has continued its entertainment show success with 'Crime Scene Zero' and 'Just Makeup.' Notably, 'Just Makeup' ranked No. 1 on Coupang Play's popular content chart for five consecutive weeks, and the company is pursuing expansion of IP-linked supplementary businesses, including commerce collaborations. Studio Slam plans to improve profitability by continuing to produce verified season-based entertainment shows like 'Chef of Crime Season 2' and venturing into new shows like 'Sell Me The Show' next year.
Meanwhile, the idol group CLOSE YOUR EYES has garnered attention as a global hot rookie following the success of their mini-album released in July and multiple awards. They are preparing to release their third mini-album 'blackout' on November 11th, a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning DJ Imanbek. The group is projected to generate significant concert revenue starting in 2026 with the launch of their global concert tour.
Megabox JoongAng recorded a revenue of 78.4 billion KRW and an operating profit of 2.7 billion KRW in the same period, successfully turning profitable compared to the previous quarter. This improvement in performance was driven by the box office success of Hollywood films and animations with high special screening proportions. In particular, 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village,' which ranked second in domestic box office history for Japanese animation, led to increased attendance and related merchandise sales, driving the third-quarter performance. Additionally, Plus M's distributed film 'Face' contributed to the turnaround, attracting 1.07 million viewers and grossing 11 billion KRW despite its small scale.
Playtime JoongAng also succeeded in turning profitable compared to the previous quarter, reporting a revenue of 17.1 billion KRW and an operating profit of 1.2 billion KRW for the third quarter. The primary drivers were the positive performance of newly opened domestic stores and the effect of the summer vacation peak season. Specifically, revenue increased year-on-year despite a decrease in the total number of stores due to the reduction of consignment sites, thanks to increased customer traffic through Playtime Champion's directly managed stores.
Playtime is preparing to open one new branch in Korea and two new branches overseas in the fourth quarter. Through these expansions, the company aims to secure continuous momentum for external growth and global expansion.
Netizens expressed excitement, with comments like 'Glad to see content producers finally seeing success,' 'Rooting for 'Just Makeup' to be a huge hit, it was so fun,' and 'I trust anything SLL produces.' The positive reactions highlight anticipation for future projects.