Success Does Not Happen Overnight
Success Does Not Happen Overnight
  • Bang Jung-hyun
  • 승인 2010.02.01 09:41
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What is the story behind Korea's success in culture content around the world According to Robert Frost, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and [Korea] took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference." In a period of such fast growth in technological advancement, securing manpower and other methods that go by the book are cliché. Instead, Korean culture content took creative and ingenious ideas that go overboard, embracing all the possibilities. The Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) acted as a strong advocate on Korea's culture content business for the past year, helping domestic culture content to impact globally and in the process, KOTRA unearthed 21 keynote, successful cases. 

Korea's culture content companies appreciate the very essence of animation, which is a fresh and an innovative story. Without an unusual, but also unique storyline, culture content businesses cannot get their foot in the door and flourish in the global market. 

What content-obssessed experts have to say

Toonzip features 'DoDoPam' animation that is set in New York City, where trapped aliens strive to escape from the earth by working as babysitters. Its genre is adventurous comedy that encompasses a creative and such a bizarre narrative that grasps people's attention. 

Toonzip

'I Prin' is Sieun Design's self-made 3D animation that is about three cute and adorable female main characters who get accepted into Academy Royale in the imaginary world and strive to become princesses. Its characters are praised for ingenious, friendly and emotional qualities and further inspired Cyber Group Studios. A France animation company will jointly produce 'I Prin'. 

BI Group, animation producing company specializing in infant and child education, also ensued to win contract with foreign buyers. This company realized that reasonable price and quality competitiveness alone cannot progress and improve their status. Hence, the company developed 'Muffy and Jemjem' where its storyline suits children's mind and culture on a universal level. The basic summary goes on like this: Once upon a time there were Muffy and Jemjem, two intern devils, living in the underground world. They desperately wanted to become full-time, official evil devils. In order to become that bad devil, they have to commit 100 sins on earth; however, they began to learn love and many children and teachers on earth grew fond of them. Another  animation company in France applauded Muffy and Jemjem's story and the two companies are deciding to carry out a joint production. 

Muffy and Jemjem

Sunjin Entertainment is in the process of negotiation with America's Eagle World Media. The two animation giants met at 'Korea Media & Content Market' held in LA last December, commissioned by KOTRA. More specifically, they are discussing about remaking Sunjin's children drama into an American version and exporting its publication rights. Sunjin Entertainment's children's drama narrates between good and evil under the theme of Asian oriental thoughts and Western zodiac signs. Eagle World Media is also considering broadcasting their remake around America, Canada, England, Australia and other English speaking countries. This would be most beneficial for Korea if the two companies close the deal because this would be the first joint production with foreign companies.

On that note, Nextki is also a culture content producing company where its employers ponder on the most innovative and radical stories day and night. This company operates its own story-telling research facility, content research, and development center. It has developed more than 100 characters, solutions, and story-telling content . The company has been operating for two years and it has attained results by exporting content to five countries such as China and Hong Kong.            

Existing online soccer games allow a user to control 11 in-game players. A Korean game maker BIGSUN soft, however, developed "BIGSUN Soccer", in which 11 users take part in playing a full-sided soccer match of 11 vs. 11. "BIGSUN Soccer" is designed to allow users to play soccer in a spirit of teamwork as if they are really involved in a soccer game. Buyers from China and the EU are showing high interest in the game, so a slew of contracts are likely to be signed in the near future. 

Designstorm came up with the idea for a soccer-themed animation. Designstorm, a Korean computer animation studio, is currently developing a full-HD animal soccer game, called "Dreamkix", in order to take advantage of the football fever in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In the brand new animation "Dreamkix", Roy the dog, a short-legged Dachshund, heads up a hodge-podge soccer team, which is pitted against the opposite world-renowned, formidable team that is made up of a lion, an elephant, a seal, an eagle, a buffalo, and so on. Designstorm is now discussing contract terms with buyers from the EU and South America. 

Dream Kix

FIX Korea, a Korean software development company, in partnership with Minh Le, one of the original creators of the world-famous Counter Strike (a tactical first-person shooter video game) to develop a new first-person shooting game, called "Tactical Intervention (TI)". The soon-to-be developed shooting game, slated to be commercialized in June of this year, is going through the alpha testing phase, but FIX Korea has already inked a contract with Mayn Interacive, who publishes games in the U.S. and EU.

Tactical Intervention (TI)

RoC Works, a Japanese game publisher, is developing a fantasy Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG), called "Maestia", with the help of veteran game developers, who have at least five to six years of experience in game development. RoC Works seems on track to sign contracts with German buyers within the first quarter of this year. 

On the other hand, KOTRA mentioned that exporting cultural content takes much more time and energy than any other exporting item. Generally, a one-year negotiation period is required to complete safety tests, consumer surveys, and localization work. In addition, KOTRA stated, "Cultural content developers, most of whom are SMEs, turned out to have been greatly helped by supportive institutions such as KOTRA." Hong Seong-wook, CEO of Grafizix that signed a contract in June of last year, gave thanks to KOTRA by saying, "A variety of projects and buyer surveys initiated by KOTRA have been very helpful to us." KOTRA supports cultural content developers, the annual participation in the French exhibition "MIPCOM Junior", and the "Korea Media & Content Market (KMCM)", which is held in South Korea and L.A. 

Cho Hwan-ik, President of KOTRA said, "Even though our efforts for supporting the exports of S. Korea's cultural content kicked into high gear just last year, they are already paying off. Our content developers' prowess in developing creative stories has lit up the prospects for exporting cultural content."


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