He is the founder and current chairman of Next Entertainment World (NEW), which started as a film investment and distribution company and expanded into the musical, record, and drama business.
[1] Kim's name made into the shortlist of Cine21 magazine's '50 Most Powerful Men in Korean Cinema' for seven consecutive years, spanning from 2001 to 2007.
In 1990, He earned a master's degree in business administration from Emory University Graduate School in the United States.
[4] After obtaining his master's degree in 1990, Kim began his career as an expert in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the planning department of the New York City branch of Samsung C&T.
On January 24, 2002, Mediaplex's CEO Dam Cheol-gon announced that it will establish a separate corporation called 'Showbox' and begin full-fledged investment in production of Korean films and foreign currency import and distribution business.
Regarding this, Mediaplex managing director Kim Woo-taek said, "We will secure high-quality content through close consultation with domestic production and investment companies," adding, "The investment decision for some works has already been finalized, so full-scale sales will begin as early as the second half of this year."
Overcoming the challenges posed by the accident, he started anew from scratch, determined to carve out a fresh path for himself and his company.
Its investment strategy involved diversifying its portfolio by producing multiple small, low-budget films, rather than putting all its resources into one project.
After The Fixer became a box office success and Hello Ghost exceeded 3 million viewers, the industry began to pay attention to New's strength.
Based on his confidence at this time, he began distributing works that were difficult for large companies to invest in, such as Late Blossom and Pietà.
"[20][full citation needed] When Director Kim Ki-duk received the honor of the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival for Pietà.
Kim Woo-taek as Producer witnessed a moment of glory and history enjoyed by the Korean film industry.
[24][full citation needed] Building on this success, NEW continued to captivate audiences in 2013 with hits such as Miracle in Cell No.
In 2014 and 2015, Heosamgwan and Daeho encountered significant setbacks, resulting in a sharp decline in stock prices and raising concerns about the Company financial condition.
Kim clarified the situation by stating, "While it is true that Huache Media invested in and co-produced Descendants of the Sun, they are not direct investors in the drama but shareholders."
He emphasized that the direct profits associated with the drama Descendants of the Sun belong to NEW and KBS, drawing a clear distinction.
Notably, Bravo & New also represents the players of the women's national curling team, who captivated the public with their outstanding performance at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Kim pushed ahead with the Train to Busan project with the belief that even zombies would have potential if the story had power.
It garnered positive reviews from both critics and the public for successfully adapting the zombie theme, commonly found in Hollywood movies, to Korean sensibilities.
[34] In 2021, NEW (Next Entertainment World, Chairman Kim Woo-taek) signed a content supply contract with OTT service Coupang Play and decided to provide 25 movies.
[4] Kim Woo-taek tries to find something to do with his employees, such as going to a rock café during company dinners and having free discussions while watching plays or musicals.