CJ comes from 'Cheil Jedang' (제일 제당), which literally translates to "first sugar manufacture", the industry where it originally started.

In the 1990s, CJ went through periods of conversion and growth as it transitioned into the area of life and culture from focusing on the food and pharmaceutical industry.

[4] However, it continued to develop new food products such as 'Condition', a supplemental drink that alleviates hangover symptoms, in 1992 and 'Hetbahn', an aseptic packaged rice, in 1996.

[4] In July 1993, Cheil Jedang spun off from Samsung and gained independent management, changing into a life and culture group by entering into the food service and entertainment industries.

In addition, CJ opened VIPS, a family restaurant chain, in 1997, and launched South Korea's first multiplex theater, CGV, in 1998.

[5] Since introducing the first multiplex theaters, CGV, in 1998 to South Korea, the company has been developing what it calls "cultureplex", a space where eateries, performance halls, shops and multiplex theaters come together to provide a more rich cultural experience to consumers, CGV Cheongdam Cine City, which opened in 2011 being an example.

[3] By 2020, the conglomerate hopes to reach 100 trillion won in sales, 70 percent of which they expect will come from abroad, and to grow into the world's No.1 at least two of its core businesses.

[13] Also brands of Foodville, VIPS (steakhouse) and A Twosome Place (coffee shope) have opened stores in China[14] and Vietnam as well as other countries in Asia.

[3] Bibigo is a Bibimbap (a traditional Korean food) restaurant which CJ planned as a global brand from the beginning, opening in Los Angeles, Beijing and Singapore since 2010.

In 2012, the construction of the $400 million nucleic acid factory in Shenyang, China was completed and will start producing animal feeds such as lysine and threonine and nucleotides in 2013.

"Mnet Asian Music Awards" was held in Macau in 2010, Singapore in 2011 and in Hong Kong in 2012 and 2013, attracting more than 1 billion viewers worldwide.

[24] Since then, the feud was highly publicized as the brothers were quoted in attacking each other through the media, and intensified after it was found out that a Samsung employee had tailed Lee Jay-hyun,[when?]

[25] In January 2013, the court ruled against Lee Maeng-hee on the basis that there was not enough evidence to prove that the dividends and proceeds of Samsung was part of the inheritance.