Unlike previous opening ceremonies and apparently different from the opening of other events, the Electronics Grand Fair opened with a grand fanfare. The six VIPs cut conspicuous figures when asked to push buttons one by one to illuminate the Korea Electronics Grand Fair logo on the platform. The opening was highlighted by a Wearable Computer Fashion Show, which showcased male and female models wearing various kinds of IT-equipped clothing.
The Electronics Grand Fair also changed the old-fashioned idea that any official ceremony must be boring and tedious due to long-winded speeches read by a selected group of dignitaries on a platform. The Grand Fair's opening ceremony really wowed the audience, invited guests and ordinary visitors alike, with a special performance of trendy songs and dances by the Brown Eyed Girls, an award-winning young girls' band. From beginning to end, the audience were awed and mesmerized by the fantastic performances by wearable computer fashion show models and the young singing band. Everything looked and sounded and felt IT-related and futuristic.
But part 2 of the opening ceremony disappointed everybody in the audience because no single dignitary climbed the platform to deliver a message or a speech. Nevertheless, the opening was a success, as befits the opening of an electronics show that has been at the forefront of Korea's electronics industry. It really signaled the bright future of the country's industry with a goal to match CeBIT, the world's premier electronics show held annually in Germany.
Fifty years have passed since the electronics industry was introduced in Korea, and this year's KES 2009 is the 40th anniversary grand exhibition comprising three major exhibitions of the International Semiconductor Exhibition, International Meeting on Information Display 2009 Exhibition, and IT Convergence Korea 2009, thus drawing great attention from domestic and overseas markets in the fields of electronic home appliances, advanced IT technology products, semi-conductors, display products and IT products converged with other industries such as medical science, automobiles and construction.
Though the Korean IT industry ranks as the fourth largest manufacturer in the world, it has had no internationally recognized exhibitions so far. The grand opening of KES 2009 is expected to consolidate the exhibition as the fifth largest in its kind in Asia and will extensively promote the synergy of comprehensive exhibitions from several different industrial sectors. Great results are expected.
Remarkably different from previous KES events, the KES 2009 carries more significance for several reasons. First, it is a Global IT Show representing leaders of the electronics industry and exhibitions from China, India and Russia. It is represented by about 865 companies, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, HP, Nissan and 3M, from 16 nations such as Korea, the US, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Second, it is an IT-specific business show, during which a variety of business programs are presented for about 3,000 potential buyers from India, Latin America, Russia, and China. It is also linked with schedules of electronics shows in Japan (CEATEC), Taiwan (Taitronics) and Hong Kong (HKEF).
Third, it is a Hands-on Digital Experience Show, which provides visitors with opportunities to take a first-hand look at various futuristic technologies. For the visitors, the organizers provide a New Growth Engine Hall featuring Bio-IT, telematics and new materials, a Good Design Hall, and a next-generation computing technology show.
Fourth, it is a Digital Information Exchange Forum where exchanges of information on up-to-date digital, electronics and IT industries occur every day during the show. Under this category, various kinds of seminars and conferences are held, including international IT convergence conferences, IMID seminars, Green IT seminars, 3D workshops, next-generation computing symposiums, and standards seminars.
More specifically, IMID events feature next-generation display technologies such as 3D displays and high-definition OLEDs. iSEDEX showcases 4Gb mobile DRAM developed at 54 nano, the world's first 44 nano DDR3 DRAM, 0.18-micrometre BCDMOS, and a CMOS image sensor.
The IT Convergence show is characterized by intelligent Green vehicles, digital ships, welfare convergence platform, Smart Grid, U-city construction, and IT and e-government.
