Sidus

What Sidus does

Sidus (싸이더스) is a South Korean film production and distribution company founded in 1995 as UnoFilm and renamed Sidus in 2000. The company has produced 80 films — the largest catalog among domestic Korean production companies — and operates four integrated business lines: Film Production (development, principal photography, post-production), Theatrical Distribution in Korean cinemas, International Sales (foreign rights licensing), and Digital Content (including Tving streaming originals and digital rights). Its catalog includes historically significant Korean films such as Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder, Choi Dong-hoon's Tazza: High Rollers and The Big Swindle, and Hur Jin-ho's Christmas in August, alongside more recent releases such as 6/45 (2022), Ajoomma (2023), and Time to Hunt (2020).

Sidus serves international film studios and production companies seeking co-production and investment partnerships, Korean theatrical exhibitors, global distributors licensing Korean content, and streaming platforms (notably Tving) sourcing original Korean content. The company generates revenue on a project basis through direct partnerships with studios, investors, and distributors; specific pricing and contract terms are not publicly disclosed. Following the 2000 merger with EBM Production, Sidus spun off its entertainment management arm as iHQ in 2002 to refocus on film, merged with FNH Films in 2005 to form SidusFNH, and reverted to the Sidus brand in 2015.

The company is privately held with no venture capital backing or public listing disclosed, headquartered in Seoul's Gangnam district, and operates with a small team of 11-50 employees relative to its 30-year production output — suggesting a lean model that relies on project-based talent and partner networks rather than large in-house production staff.

Name

Sidus

Legal name

(주)싸이더스

Website

https://sidus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sidus (싸이더스) is a privately held Korean film production and distribution company founded in 1995, producing 80 films — the largest catalog among domestic Korean producers. It serves international studios and distributors via theatrical distribution, international sales, and Tving streaming originals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Sidus is a Korean film production and distribution company that produces, theatrically distributes, internationally licenses, and digitally distributes Korean films. Founded in 1995, the company has produced 80 films—the largest output among Korean domestic production companies—and operates across four business segments: Film Production, Theatrical Distribution, International Sales, and Digital Content (streaming originals).

Product overview

Sidus (싸이더스) is a Korean film production and distribution company established in 1995 as UnoFilm, producing 80 films as Korea's most prolific domestic production company. The company operates four core business segments: Film Production (development, filming, post-production), Theatrical Distribution (Korean cinema releases), International Sales (global film licensing), and Digital Content (streaming platform originals via Tving and digital rights). Key film titles in their portfolio include the Tazza gambling franchise, Memories of Murder (directed by Bong Joon-ho), The Big Swindle, and recent releases like 6/45, Ajoomma, and Time to Hunt. The company also produces digital content for streaming platforms including Tving original dramas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Production Full film production services including development, principal photography, and post-production for theatrical releases; Sidus has produced 80 films, the largest output among Korean domestic production companies.
• Theatrical Distribution Theatrical distribution of produced films in Korean cinema markets, including premiere releases and ongoing film distribution through theater chains and distribution partners.
• International Sales International film sales and licensing of Sidus-produced content to foreign markets, studios, and distributors worldwide.
• Digital Content Digital content distribution including streaming platform content such as Tving originals, and digital rights licensing to online platforms.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• BH Entertainment: Korean entertainment company combining talent management with film production. Operates in overlapping space with Sidus, particularly in star-driven feature film production.
• Showbox: Major Korean film production and distribution company producing theatrical releases and operating distribution networks. Direct peer to Sidus in theatrical release strategy and Korean market focus.
• Filmmakers R&K: Korean independent film production company known for auteur-driven features. Comparable to Sidus in producing director-led theatrical films for the Korean and international festival circuit.
• Lotte Entertainment: Korean film production, investment, and theatrical distribution arm of Lotte Group. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated Korean film producer-distributor with international sales operations.
• CJ ENM: Korea's largest film production and distribution company, encompassing theatrical distribution, international sales, and content production. Directly comparable to Sidus across all four core business segments but at vastly larger scale.
• Next Entertainment World (NEW): Korean film production and distribution company with significant market share in theatrical exhibition. Direct competitor to Sidus for theatrical windows and Korean audience share.

Broad incumbents

• Warner Bros. Korea: Local Korean operations of a global major studio, producing and distributing both Korean and imported films. Broader incumbent competing for theatrical slots, talent, and Korean content investment.

Emerging players

• Studio Dragon: Korea's largest drama series production company, part of CJ ENM group. Adjacent peer operating in Korean premium content production for streaming platforms, intersecting with Sidus's digital content strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/siduspictures
• Instagraminstagram.com/sidus_movie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sidus