Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
ASEAN influencers discuss future of creative economy at WCIF
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Nichkhun / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Influencers from the ASEAN region discussed the future of the creative economy with their Korean counterparts during the World Cultural Industry Forum (WCIF) 2023.
The ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) co-organized a special session called “Special Talks on Creative Economy with ASEAN Young People” at the WCIF 2023, held at Hotel Susung in southeastern city of Daegu, Wednesday.
AKC Secretary-General Kim Hae-yong, Indonesian (Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Angela Tanoesoedibjo and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange director Jung Kil-hwa delivered speeches at the beginning of the session.
Kim highlighted the exponentially growing role of ASEAN amid Korean culture as something that continues to proliferate globally.
"Through this special ASEAN-Korea session, I hope that both regions can quickly respond to changing industry trends and create more opportunities for mutual exchange and cooperation in the music and entertainment industry," Kim said.
Moderated by Nichkhun from K-pop boy group 2PM, five influencers from the ASEAN member states took part as panelists alongside Korean culture critic Suh Byung-kee.
Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina are one of Indonesia's celebrity couples, who are one of the most followed Indonesian public figures on social media, while Kring Kim is an emcee and influencer from the Philippines, known for her engagement with Korean entertainment. Singaporean swimmer-turned-musician Benjamin Kheng and Vietnamese influencer and YouTuber Meichan also took part in the discussion.
The discussions focused on how the ASEAN and K-Wave can work together to create synergy in the era of the creator economy. The goal is to facilitate more opportunities for mutual exchange and cooperation between the two regions in response to evolving industry trends.
Founded in 2019, the WCIF aims to contribute to the growth of the global music and entertainment industry and promote the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year's edition will go under the themes of the “Creator Economy & Sustainability” and will run from June 14-15.