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- “The Era of Donghaeng Media”: Keynote on K-culture, “As technology advances, the importance of culture will grow”
Lee Soo-man, Key Producer and Visionary Leader at A2O Entertainment, emphasized the importance of culture in response to technological advancements.
The comprehensive daily Donghaeng Media Sidai (hereinafter Sidai) held the “Sidae Forum” on the 21st at the Sebit Island Convention Center in Seoul, themed “K-Culture × Tech: The Path to Sustainable Growth.”
Lee Soo-man, Key Producer and Visionary Leader at A2O Entertainment, a cultural pioneer who established the framework of the K-pop production system, took the stage as the keynote speaker.
On this day, Leader Lee Soo-man said, “I am grateful to receive such cheers after a long time. I feel very proud that you have viewed me favorably.” He added, “For a long time, while making music, producing singers, and leading K-pop, I have been asking questions about what makes things different.”
He continued, “If we show music on stage, present performances, and display it through music videos, people will increasingly experience music in another way. How to make and present music videos, how to create them in visualization—shifting from music that is heard to music that is seen was my starting point.” He added, “After 16 years, I have reached a point where I can realize my concerns.”
Leader Lee Soo-man re-emphasized CT (Culture Technology) and mentioned the catchphrase “From cameras that shoot, to cameras that create.” Leader Lee Soo-man explained, “We generate technology that creates thousands of videos from just one dance performance.”
He then spoke about A2O LITE and A2O SOUL, which he recently launched, saying, “It was not easy to debut two teams at once, but these two teams resonate with my identity.”
Leader Lee Soo-man said, “As K-pop has grown globally, performance and visuals have become extremely important. However, I asked myself again whether we might be focusing too much on what we see and failing to feel the joy of listening to the music itself.” He added, “I wondered if we could create music that is good just to listen to and also good to watch, and whether we could build such power.”
He continued, “Perhaps the debut of A2O LITE and A2O SOUL this time can be seen as a familiar approach. It is a debut that poses questions again toward K-pop, which can fall into mannerism if not handled correctly.” Leader Lee Soo-man said, “Using new technology does not automatically make a group good, nor does being different from others guarantee good content. I absolutely do not recommend it just for the sake of being different.” He added, “And one must have human love. I believe that is the most important starting point even when talking about me and technology. I think the potential of 4DGS will not remain limited to entertainment.”
Leader Lee Soo-man emphasized, “The more technology advances, the greater the importance of culture will become.” He stated, “I do not think the purpose of technology must necessarily be to replace humans. The same applies to AI.” He added, “For K-culture to be loved even after 30 years, we must find something new rather than relying on past glory. It will be important how we utilize that technology with wisdom, and how it meets culture. That is the path we must walk to build future civilization.”
Prior to this, Oh Byung-sang, President of Sidai, delivered the opening remarks. He said, “Sidai launched its print edition on October 15. Today’s forum is the first occasion where Sidai stands before readers and the industry since its launch.” He added, “We deliberated for a long time on what theme to choose for our first public event, and the answer we arrived at was K-culture. The reason is clear. K-culture is currently the most dynamic field in Korea shaping tomorrow.”
He continued, “Sidai will not read the cultural industry through numbers alone. We will look together at the creative struggles behind sales and export figures, as well as the structure of the industry. We will applaud generously for what is done well and ask clearly about what needs to be improved.” He added, “This is because I believe that only with affection can one ask proper questions, and only with proper questions can an industry last long.”
Meanwhile, the forum was divided into two parts. Part 1 followed Lee Soo-man’s keynote speech with a focus on AI-based video creation. Cecilia Sen, CEO of Utopia Studio, a global AI video specialist company, spoke about “AI Native Studio: The Convergence of Technology and Production.”
Subsequently, motion graphics director Kim Geul-gyun (Apple TV Content Team) explained “Creation in the AI Era: Changes in Content Production Methods.” Director Kim received an Emmy Award in 2024 for producing the main title of the drama “The Last of Us.”
In Part 2, attention was paid to the phenomenon where trends led by K-pop are spreading to related industries such as lifestyle, beauty, and physical AI, with new cultural leaders taking the stage as speakers.
Yoon Sang-bo, Vice President of Galaxy Corporation, which is the agency for singer G-Dragon and operates “Robot Park” in Seoul Gangdong-gu, spoke about “The Expansion of Entertech Utilizing Robots,” introducing related projects such as humanoid robot idols and robot fashion shows. Shin Jae-ha, Vice President of APR, a representative global K-beauty company, spoke about “Expanding the K-Beauty Paradigm Through Technological Innovation.” Lee Seung-jin, Vice President of Musinsa (MUSINSA), which leads the domestic fashion, beauty, and lifestyle ecosystem, examined the present and future of “K-Lifestyle Connected by K-Culture.”
Sidai aims to be a deliberative media with the motto “Respected Individuals, Prosperous Republic of Korea,” opening a new path for journalism. Brilliant Korea, the media holding company to which Sidai belongs, includes NEWS1, NEWSIS, Money Today, MTN (MTN), StarNews, and ZDNet, which operate independently, and also includes The Bell as an affiliated company.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
