Direction 2021.
This entry introduces the outline of Sungwon Kim’s idea of “Research and Creative Studio for culture” and a quick look back in 13 years of his career.
Research and Creative Studio for Culture
It has been a year and four months since I moved to London from my hometown Tokyo.
No graduation ceremony due to COVID but son was pleased for his first campus visit.
I successfully graduated from MA Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship: Media and Communication pathway last month, and am writing this to embark on my next journey back into the business world, letting everybody know what my direction is.
As we know, 2020 has been literally an unprecedented year and still, the turbulence keeps going.
Not only COVID-19 but also Brexit may impact businesses based in the UK in many ways.
I would like to take advantage of its paradigm-shifting moment and believe that this is the best moment to kick off a new project, not just waiting for economic recovery.
Structuring…
Being a hub between independent workers, particularly engaged in culture, and any business organisations, I imagine that I can contribute to both sides by mobilising my knowledge obtained in study and 10+ years of experience in advertising as a producer/director. especially in innovation.
Also, my background as a Korean Japanese may help UK business holders seek opportunities in East Asia with profound understandings of their local culture.
I hope that my idea reaches any businesses considering oversea marketing, freelancers seeking collaborators, and whoever enjoys new encounters throughout project makings.
Here follows a quick look back at my 13 years of working experience for readers to know who I am and what specialities I have got.
Account direction / Project management
I have been working for Dentsu Inc., the largest advertising firm and fifth-biggest global advertising agency group in the world, for over 13 years.
The most memorable work in production was Sound of Honda / Ayrton Senna 1989.
I was working closely with the client Honda Motor. Co., the creative team based in Tokyo and Ayrton Senna Foundation in Sao Paolo.
Involvement in this international project awarded by the Titanium Lion by Canne Lions Festival 2014 built up my skills in account direction and project producing.
Institute Ayrton Senna @ São Paulo, Brasil
In addition to creative productions like the above, numerous innovation research, campaign planning, and execution for Honda Motor.Co. over a total of nearly 10 years helped establish my foundation of client business operation.
What Dentsu provides for clients was not only an advertising solution but a wide variety of measures to make innovation happen.
This comprehensive problem-solving solution is somewhat characteristic when compared with western firms.
The unique skillset I call “Project Production” fostered in Tokyo agency life, particularly in capturing clients’ needs, designing project scope and managing the whole project by organising teams, would make my works different from other producers.
Projects in cultural industries
While working for clients, I have been creating projects in parallel in the cultural sector.
The disaster relief project for East Great Earthquake collaborating with Ryuichi Sakamoto as a general producer successfully resulted in fundraising over 1.5 million USD donation within 3 years.
Tsunami Piano @ Sendai, Japan
A textile brand launch bringing back “hemp” fabric to the modern fashion industry was widely welcomed overseas, reintroducing the culture and history of traditional Japanese lifestyle with natural fabric which had been left behind due to modern industrialisation.
Hemp fabric “majotae“
Besides the above, you may find more works in the Works tab on my website.
My work did not only contribute to a network of artists and cultural workers, but also informed better projects in the cultural and sometimes non-profit sector.
Dealing with different cultures requires broader knowledge, profound insights, passion for realising better futures and humanities… so on.
This experience in cultural industries combined with client-based work in advertising brought me back into my studies to enhance and reinvent my career in 2019.
In 2020, I have been working as an advisory for 1854 media, the publisher of the British Journal of Photography, and also contracted an agreement with Nesta in translating their innovation tools in Japanese and Korean.
1854 media @ Hackney, London
Back in study
I decided to enrol in Goldsmiths, University of London, after a 13 years’ gap since my graduation from Keio University in Tokyo 2007.
One year of intensive researcher life in an academic setting helps me to consolidate my business idea.
For the final dissertation project, I demonstrated a comprehensive analysis of Japan’s cultural diversity by using PEST framework and Causal Loop Diagram.
Thanks to this institution, I feel that I confidently regard myself as a cultural research expert.
This experience of self-reflection outside of my former career in Tokyo was necessary for me to build up another foundation to make my career entrepreneurial.
Following Goldsmiths, I commenced another master at the University of Bristol in MSc Migration and Mobility Studies funded by Think Big Scholarship.
Alongside my research at Bristol, I am currently prototyping some work based on independent research and creative studio which I mentioned at the beginning of this outline.
Opportunities in Japan and Korea
Although domestic companies in Japan and Korea see the necessity in global marketing, the cultural barriers, particularly language, often interrupt them in doing that.
Even in some large scale global companies that I faced during my agency life, I saw many business opportunities, particularly in R&D sectors, where rooms for open innovation remained.
The situation in middle to small-sized companies would hold more potential. Crafts and factories excelling in technology and manufacturing might be positive in seeking collaborators once the cultural barrier has vanished.
I assume that there are plenty of opportunities for independent workers who can bridge them to the global market.
Not only companies but local government administrators have also been keen on inbound marketing, especially the tourism industry.
Based on the UNESCO survey on global R&D spendings, Japan still demonstrates the third-highest R&D investment following the US and China.
http://uis.unesco.org/apps/visualisations/research-and-development-spending/
Fortunately, Japan has been the first country the UK has made an independent free trade agreement with last October, amongst the Brexit turmoil. Businesses from the UK to Japan would not be damaged by Brexit and in some ways beneficial when compared to trade with the EU.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-japan-sign-free-trade-agreement
For early 2021, a couple of my projects have already started as follows.
This year I made up my mind to do my best to achieve my career goals against the odd of the prolonging COVID-19 recession.
I see the light after making each step I make in these difficult circumstances, and wish that I can have as many conversations with those who resonate or are excited about my idea. `
Please feel free to ask any questions, I will be open for any dialogue and look forward to getting to know each other.