CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun.

A view of the Cultural Creative Convergence Center, now one year, which serves as a pivot of content creators. (Photos: CJ Group)

The Culture Creative Convergence Center (CCCC) and the Seoul Center for Creative Economy and Innovation (SCCEI) have become success stories in the job-creating creative economy initiative. The CCC and the SCCEI is spearheaded by CJ Business Group. 

The CCCC, celebrating the first anniversary this past February, attracted about 60,000 visitors as of the end of May, serving as a pivot of content creators. 

In particular, a convergence content contest, which has made its debut in Korea, is one of the CCCC’s remarkable performances. 

The contest is designed not only to build an ecosystem for producing fascinating content through convergence among genres, but also to explore and nurture new business contents. Nineteen finalist teams were selected in the first convergence content competition. They underwent an intensive training program offered by the CCCC to complement a degree of finishing of their produce, which received a good reception in Korea and abroad. 

Aiara Co., one of the finalists of the 1st convergence contest, produced the “Crayonpang,” a 3D augmented reality color-painting play, and signed deals with publishing companies from four countries, including France. The Crayonpang, which is to be put into a commercial service in August, will translate colored pictures into 3D animation via mobile gadgets or tablet PCs. 

Thanks to the support of the CCCC, the traditional Korean troupe “Maro” performed the “Leodo: The Paradise,” a shamanistic play based on Jeju Island’s Intangible Cultural Property “Jejugunguk” at the Benaroya Hall in Seattle, the United States. Maro succeeded in raising $23,000 in a crowdfunding via a social media service platform. 

Riding on the success, the CCCC is stepping on the gas to expand the convergence content competition. The third convergence content competition is hosted in collaboration with partners to create successful outcomes. 

The KCCC, located on the first and second floor of the CH E&M Sangamdong Center, is a studio with high-tech facilities in which amateur creators can create content free of charge. It allows creators to commercialize and export their ideas. 

CJ Business Group does not spare efforts to lend a helping hand to start-up businessmen by sharing the experience and expertise it accumulated in the cultural business over the years. Since April, CJ has been implementing the “Kitchen Incubator” program, which is designed to share ways of promoting cooperation through mentoring by making the most of the knowhow it has acquired in the cuisine business. 

CJ hosted “Foodtech Start-up Competition” in cooperation with Google Campus to provide support related to public relations, and marketing and distribution to potential start-up businessmen.

CJ also sponsored mentoring, and local marketing promotion campaigns, and export consultation meetings in cooperation with the CCCC by making the most of CJ’s Hallyu cultural platforms, including MAMA and KCON.

“Crayonpang,” a 3D augmented reality color-painting play, produced by Aiara Co.