The Next Content Fair 2017 (NCF 2017) that took place at BEXCO in Busan from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15 served as an opportunity to look into what’s in store fo the Korean content industry in an era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The fair contributed to boosting the content industry in the Busan, and accelerating its globalization. The NCF 2017 was hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and BEXCO.
Some 150 companies, which will spearhead the 4th Industrial Revolution in such areas as area’s specialized content and virtual reality, participated in the fair, and they set up about 200 booths.
Unlike the K-Content Fair that took place in Seoul last year, the NCF 2017 was an exclusive content fair combining such business events as one-on-one meetings with foreign buyers, a story pitching session, and an investment attraction session in Busan, which has become a center of convention and content. Nineteen culture industry support organizations across the nation and corporate exhibitors featured VR, AR, game, character, animation, video products, and convergence products specialized in each area.
The Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency released character products based on the motif of “ggodeungoe,” mackerel, the fish of Busan. The Jeonju IT Industry Promotion Agency showed off VR content for night tours utilizing such natural things as parks. Jeju Technopark featured the character “Mongni,” based on the motif “haenyeo,” the iconic divers on the sea of Jeju.
Visitors at the special pavilion on VR were given a chance to look at 12 new VR products that leading Korean companies have produced in collaboration with their cooperative partners. Nine VR unveiled a historical tour VR product in which history expert Sul Min-suk gives virtual tour of Korea’s palaces.
Prominent buyers from 90 companies in 16 countries had one-on-one business meetings with Korean firms between Oct. 13 and 14 to help them explore overseas markets. Story pitching and investment attraction sessions took place on Oct. 13 to help exhibitors make a pitch for their products and attract investments.
The general public was given an opportunity to see a live broadcast by a prominent Korean creator and an idol audition. The Next Content Idol Audition was conducted to hire talented manpower in gaming, imagery, animation, and other areas.
The NCF 2017 also held a job fair. About 20 culture industry support agencies across the nation held a ceremony to declare a joint statement to boost regional economies through the cultivating of regional content industries and secure the momentum for job creation.
