The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'

  • 3

    PHOTOSTeam Korea' s decisive moments at Asian Games

  • 5

    Seoul's financial assistance for egg freezing draws attention from single women

  • 7

    Korea wins gold, silver in men's golf

  • 9

    Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions

  • 11

    Police launch belated probe into another teacher's suicide after parental harassment

  • 13

    SHINee launches first Japan tour in 5 years

  • 15

    Expressway congestion partially eases up as Koreans return home following Chuseok

  • 17

    S. Korea wins 1st table tennis gold in 21 yrs

  • 19

    Germany's government and Elon Musk spar on X over migrant rescue ships

  • 2

    Korea blank China to reach men's football semifinals

  • 4

    Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?

  • 6

    Korea wins 1st gold in women's team badminton in nearly 30 yrs

  • 8

    Distraught roller skater apologizes for costly premature celebration

  • 10

    Korea's Coast Guard apprehends 22 Chinese after illegal entry attempt

  • 12

    Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan

  • 14

    KOICA pushes for $1.8 mil. project to support Nigeria's ICT education

  • 16

    Korea's drop in exports eases in Sept. on chip sales recovery

  • 18

    Heavy traffic jams mostly eased on 5th day of holiday

  • 20

    M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Photo News
  • Features
  • Presidential Inauguration
  • KoreaToday
  • Ramsar Changwon 2008
  • Branding Korea
  • Korea Development Model Conference
  • Icons & influencers
  • NIE Times
  • Global Korea
  • Global Etiquette
  • Korea IR
  • North Korea Today
  • China Today
  • Hi Seoul
  • Trend 2008
  • ASEAN+Korea Summit
  • Konglish
  • Focus FTA
  • blog
  • POPsong
  • KoreaToday_
  • Club Med
Tue, October 3, 2023 | 21:59
Incheon to Host Paramount’s First Movie Park
Posted : 2008-05-20 19:00
Updated : 2008-05-20 19:00
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link

From left, Lee Dong-ho, president and CEO of Daewoo Motor Sales Corp.; Michael Corcoran, president of Paramount Licensing Inc.’s Consumer Products and Recreation Group; and Michael Destefano, president of East Gate Entertainment pose at the Paramount Movie Park Korean launching ceremony in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Paramount Movie Park Korea, an amusement park inspired by Hollywood glamour with a dash of hallyu (Korean wave), will open in 2011 in Incheon, South Korea.

It will be the world's first Paramount Pictures-branded theme park and resort complex and Korea's first ever movie-theme park. Daewoo Motors Sales Corp (DWMS) will fund and assume ownership of the joint venture company while Paramount will act as its licensor and manage creative development, organizers in Seoul said Tuesday. The two signed a licensing agreement last December.

``Some 40 MOUs between Korean firms and major foreign industries had been established for such a park, but none bore fruit,'' said Lee Dong-ho, president and CEO of DWMS. Problems included the massive investment involved, licensing fee agreements and locating a site large enough. ``I'm proud to say this will be the first movie theme park in Korea,'' he said.

Entertainment facilities including a water park and some 30 attractions inspired by films such as ``Mission Impossible,'' as well as two resort hotels will span over 120 acres. The grand opening of the $1.5 billion-project will be in three years time in Songdo, Incheon, located just outside of Seoul and in the proximity of Incheon International Airport.

However, the ``glocal'' (global yet local) park will also feature aspects of local culture including hallyu, and Korean computer games and technology.

``Why South Korea? The answer is easy. Korea is a fast growing and attractive market. It's business friendly and has a sophisticated culture,'' Michael Corcoran, president of Paramount Licensing Consumer Products and Recreation Group, told reporters. ``We could not have had a better partner (than DWMS).''

In a subsequent interview with The Korea Times, Corcoran explained that Paramount had previously owned several regional parks but not a world-class movie-themed park. Paramount had been scouting several locations around the world for one and Incheon was perfect. ``It's one of the best sites I've seen for a theme park. It has no heavy visual intrusion, Songdo city is being developed all around it and there is incredible access to the airport,'' said Corcoran, who previously worked for Universal Parks & Resorts.

The impact of the theme park will be paramount to Korea's culture and tourism. It is expected to attract about 5 million visitors each year, of which roughly 20 percent may be from overseas, namely China and South Asia. Yu In-chon, minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and An Sang-soo, mayor of Incheon, expressed strong enthusiasm for the project at the VIP ceremony Tuesday evening, particularly since it will be a tourist attraction for visitors during the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

For Corcoron, the Paramount Movie Park is about taking visitors into the wonder of Hollywood and the heart of Paramount Pictures Studio, which is in fact the only major film studio located within Hollywood.

Watching movies onscreen is a ``passive'' form of consumption, but ``in the theme park environment you get to interact with the brand,'' he said. It's about combining physical experiences people enjoy with the Hollywood storytelling people love.

``From a business perspective, there's an awful amount of investment behind that Paramount mountain. It's important to leverage that investment to take those properties into areas that live and breathe and continue to be commercially successful even after the film has been released at the box office,'' he said.

Right now, the master plan has been drawn up and the next step is the schematic design or ``putting flesh on the bones.''

``Hollywood today, as the entertainment capital of the world, recognizes the value of global entertainment ventures, companies and talent,'' he said, referring to the incorporation of local cultural content. ``There's a strong vibe in the Korean entertainment industry and the world is going to enjoy experiencing it,'' he said. ``Glocalization'' is in.

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan
2LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic
3Consumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after ChuseokConsumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after Chuseok
4[INTERVIEW] It is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head INTERVIEWIt is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head
5Samsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businessesSamsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businesses
6Internet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivityInternet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivity
7Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week
8Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operationsRuling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations
9Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operationsRuling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations
10Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Ahn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You' INTERVIEWAhn Hyo-seop wanted to share dedicated love with 'A Time Called You'
2'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' tops Chuseok holiday box office
3TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map
4Two artists' windows to light and serenity Two artists' windows to light and serenity
5M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group