Korean startup Kormena to offer Korean dramas, movies & more in Arabic

The Korean wave or Hallyu has not only swept the western countries, but it also is hugely adored by the Arab world. K-Entertainment, K-Pop, K-Drama, Korean beauty products are all getting adulation from Arab fans. No doubt, then the Korean musical group B.I.G. released a coronavirus-inspired song in Arabic this year.

A one-Stop shop for K-Entertainment

Inspired by the Arab fan following, Korean startup Kormena is launching a one-stop K-Entertainment platform with movies, dramas, features, and shopping targeted to the Middle East & North African (MENA) consumers. Kormena, which has started its Korean beauty products website in English and Arabic, will launch Koremena TV for entertainment and Magazine for features and stories.

Kormena TV will introduce old & new Korean movies and dramas summarized in 10 to 15 minutes mini-episodes in local Arabic narration with English as an option. The Magazine will have articles written by professional columnists from Korea about various topics such as Fashion, Beauty, Culture, Travel, E.T.C. in Arabic, and English. The shopping platform will allow Korean fans/consumers to buy directly from Korean merchants registered in Kormena. Products will be shipped directly to customers to take advantage of “Tax-exempt” for products value under $200 for K.S.A. and U.A.E.

T.V., Shopping & Magazine

The MENA market has a vast scope for e-commerce business for Korean products, but many businesses are not reaching out because of the language barrier. Kormena wants to resolve the limitations through its platform by offering Arabic and English options. Kormena has already started its beta version for shopping platforms and has received a good number of shoppers. It is currently providing skincare and make-up products but wants to expand to fashion and houseware in the future.

For entertainment, K-dramas and movies are gaining many eyeballs across the MENA countries, but they are mainly available on O.T.T. platforms like Netflix or Aradrama. Kormena TV will provide a new dimension to fans of K-Drama with its Arabic and English versions. Koremena TV will start with Korean dramas and movies, but in later stages, add animations, trailers, etc. Kormena TV will offer smaller versions for free to consumers and offer Adsense revenue share with content providers.

Kormena’s Magazine is the third section for those who want to read about Korean culture. Currently, its blog Korean Genie is available in Arabic and has more than a million followers. Kormena is expecting a lot of women consumers for its platform. The startup is also hoping to tap markets in Taiwan, China, and the U.S.A. in the future.