In November last year, the Korea Creative Content Agency (hereinafter referred to as Hankonjin) was founded. It is the third time in Southeast Asia in Indonesia and Vietnam. Hankonjin has greatly seen the growth potential of the Thai market and willing to serve as a bridgehead for content exchange between Korea and Thailand.

Park Woong-jin, president of Thailand, who met at a cafe in Bangkok Icon Shiam, Thailand, said, Thailand is playing a role as a content hub in Southeast Asia. As specialized contents such as e-sports, blockchain, NFT, and Y series are becoming popular locally, the synergy between Korea and Thailand is expected to grow even more.

Park Woong-jin, President of Thailand, Korea Content Agency

-When did you establish a Thai branch in Hankonjin, why?

Last November, the branch was established. Thailand is the second largest economy after Singapore among the ASEAN economic communities. It is a country with tremendous capital, and has a great influence on neighboring countries. Thailand plays a pivotal role in economically and culturally in Southeast Asia.

We have been prepared since 2016 with respect to Thailand. Previously, the importance of Thailand was recognized. With the establishment of the third branch of Indonesia and Vietnam, the establishment of the Thailand branch will allow you to cover the entire Southeast Asia. In the case of Thailand, it can be seen as a base for jurisdiction over Myanmar and India.

Currently, Indonesia and Vietnam have been upgraded to business centers. If you are upgraded to the Business Center, there are 5-6 people. The Thai branch will soon be upgraded.

-Hanconjin is doing something in Thailand, strategy and vision

In fact, since Thailand is the second in the ASEAN Economic Community, it has a great influence on neighboring countries. Although there are base in Indonesia and Vietnam, the level of consumption is much higher. It is a country with high cultural consumption. I think this is why Krafton held the 2022 Pub Nations Cup (PNC 2022) in Thailand.

The same is true for Hankonjin. In Southeast Asia, Thailand’s influence is so great that I try to create the first wave of the Korean Wave. As these waves spread to neighboring countries, they can create the influence of the second to third. In this situation, Hankonjin thinks that he should play the same role as a concentric circle.

So Thailand is important. Although the governor was established at the end of the Southeast Asian market, it is expected to play a pivotal role in Thailand, Southeast Asian content hub, to spread K-content with economic and cultural influence. In addition, if you collaborate with the center in the neighboring countries, you can also create a larger synergy effect.

Hankonjin is planning a K-Content Expo event in Thailand in 2023. Together with Indonesia and Vietnam, it is divided into K-pop, cover dance and webtoon experience. E-sports events will also be held at the Expo. At present, Korea’s e-sports interest in Thailand is very high. Next year, we are in contact with various Korean companies at the K-Content Expo event next year.

-The performance to date is

It’s only about six months, so it’s a ‘establishment stage’. On July 6, K-Contents Video Export Consultation will be held in collaboration with the Korea Trade Association. Overseas Hankonjin Hubs will recruit buyers from each region to perform online biz matching.

17 buyers in Thailand and 63 sellers in Korea will participate. It is a leading company such as CJ E & M and The Pink Pong Company. We sold our products for about two months and discovered famous buyers in each field. 54 companies will already be selected and 54 meetings will be held. It is a result of its own achievements.

-Thai game market size and local popular games are

According to a recent DEPA survey, it is worth 1.3 trillion won last year. The PC game hit the biggest hit with the Battleground with the ‘overpass’. Mobile games are famous for Garena’s prefire. Of course, Maple Story and everyone’s Marvel were also popular in Thailand, but if one is one, it is also ‘Battleground’.

-Thai blockchain market is

Blockchain and NFT (replaceable token) markets can be seen in Korea a year ago. So Korean character companies continue to knock on the Thailand’s NFT market.

Thailand has a large gap between rich and poor. Investors with tremendous capital are looking for investments, and recently, they have invested a lot in Korean companies with character IP (intellectual property). This is because the Korean Wave content is gaining tremendous popularity.

Currently, Korean character IP companies and Thailand blockchain companies or investors are showing some outlines through active negotiations. Korean character IP companies are planning to jointly develop Korean blockchain games, and to attract Thai investors and mining. Companies that have been made in Korea also do not do it in Thailand.

-Thai content market and Hankonjin’s role

Hankonjin’s main role is than the bridgewood. However, the area of culture should be interactive. Korean content should be given the opportunity to enter Thailand and Thailand’s content can also enter Korea.

Of course, it is the main of our work that Korean content companies settle in neighboring areas, including the Thai market, but only when Thai content can enter Korea. The unilateral market has significant limitations.

In Thailand, the Yaoi series is popular. It is a drama that draws same-sex love with the Y series. In Thailand, gay culture is less reluctant than Korea. The Minister of Culture, Thailand, has declared that he raises related content as soft power.

This Y series is likely to be in the long term in the Korean market. ‘Semantic Error’, which recently hit in the native platform ‘Watcha’, is the first Y series in Korea. Even though the affection is drawn lightly, it is getting a lot of attention. In fact, in Korea, the Thai Y series was often found on the dark path.

You can discover and introduce Thai webtoon writers or to foster webtoon artists in Hankonjin. This is because 70%of Thai Line Webtoons are Korean content and sourced here. Thai fixed fans clearly exist.

-What is the content consumption of individuals in Thailand? In addition, the government and the private sector are investing in the content market

It is the largest in the Southeast Asian market. It is not comparable to the United States, Europe, and Japan, but in Southeast Asia, the company has the highest level of payment per capita. Indonesia has a population of 250 million and Thailand is 70 million, but Thailand has much higher sales. This is why there is Nexon Tiland, but there is no Nexon Indonesia.

Currently, Thailand is expanding the e-sports market rapidly, and the Thai government is trying to foster the game industry as if we are fostering the Y series. The number of local developers will not grow as much as Korea, and it will invest in its own games, but overseas games are expected to increase in investment.

In the private sector, investments continue to focus on AIS and True, a large telecommunications operator. AIS built an esports stadium in Bangkok in September last year, and the PNC was the true icon hall in the icon Shimmall.

-What does PNC in Thailand mean to Hankonjin

The possibility of cooperation in Thailand is more open. It will enter Korea in July, and we will meet with Craepon and have more in-depth conversations regarding the K-Content Expo next year.

** -I want to say to companies that look at the Thai market

Thai people are curious people. The new areas that begin in Thailand are now in the areas where Korea is already traditionally standing.

First of all, Korea has a magical cheat key called esports. Thailand is also a growing e-sports market. In Thailand, a lot of challenges are taking place because e-sports players win life when they win. The foundation is also well equipped. In addition, the government is firmly willing to foster esports in the private sector.

Specialized fields such as VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), blockchain, NFT, and methuses are also good in Thailand. It is hoped that many of the state-of-the-art technology-based games will enter this opportunity.

Thailand is a market to spend this. In addition, Thailand is a content hub in Southeast Asia, so there is a high room for chain.

At this time at this time, Korean game companies and content companies need to actively target the market.