Rolf Jensen, chief imagination
officer of Dream Company |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Rolf Jensen, 66, the chief imagination officer of Dream Company, says that Seoul needs "stories to tell" in order to make it a global city where people of the world can come and enjoy themselves.
"Every city has good stories. The story is already here and that's why I call it story-mining," Jensen said, adding that each citizen can be one source, making Seoul a city of over 10 million stories.
Changdeok Palace is Jensen's favorite place in Seoul. "The place is about the tradition and roots of Korean society," he said, adding that palaces in Seoul are an example of connecting modern life to ancient history.
"I think Seoul has developed so fast that sometimes you forget the tradition. So I guess in the next 10 years, you will see a lot of restoration," he said. "These palaces and old buildings are certainly valuable. Seoulites should be proud of their city. There are a lot of good stories to learn from heritage and tradition.
"Traditional industry and knowledge-based industry do not go away. They are still here, but in addition, we have the design or movie industry. I think this is where competition will take place and how can you make a difference," Jensen said.
The Danish consulting firm was founded in 2001 on the 196th birthday of world-famous author Hans Christian Andersen.
It provides a new approach by adding emotional aspects to corporate management. Rolf came here to participate in a forum to globalize Seoul.
He said Seoul needed a form of uniqueness to become a dream city. "Any country can make good products. That's why the emotional side is important in making Seoul a globalized dream city. You must make sure that it does not look like any other metropolis," the futurist said. "If it looks like any other metropolis, there is no need to come to Seoul."
Jensen pointed out Paris as a good storytelling city.
"My favorite would be Paris. Because if you say Paris, for me, it's about romance," he said. "It's about sitting in a small bistro with a beautiful girl. It's about writing poems early in the morning."
For instance, there are thousands of cafes and theaters in Paris each with their own story, and in the case of the latter, performances, one of which at the Moulin Rouge became known worldwide and was made into a movie.
"Today, Paris has the combination of modern city and tradition. It has reached a good balance."
However, he warned against the idea of dividing the capital, as similar attempts have not been very successful in other countries.
"You need a metropolis. Even if you move something out of Seoul, the city will still grow," Jensen said.
Because of the Internet and mobile phone, things can be done anywhere, he said. "However, we need to meet and talk. We have to come together to exchange ideas and it is one of the reasons to be careful when decentralizing."
To become a good storyteller, Jensen advises people to "de-learn," or forget existing thoughts.
"When I have storytelling classes for well-educated businesspeople, they are good at what they do, and so they use their brain all the time," he said.
"I tell them to use their heart. It's difficult to think with your heart, so you should feel your heart. Most stories come from the heart, because we are born as storytellers, whether good or bad."
To turn storytelling into a business, the futurist said, "The first thing is you must strongly believe in what you are doing. And you must have some problem to overcome."
meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr
|
