K-Subculture Global Platform Gets Underway with Launch of 'ILLUSTAR WORLD'

[Financial News] In an era of increasingly diverse tastes and cultures, an organization has been launched to broaden the foundation of Korea's subculture industry and pursue expansion into global markets.
StarLike and the Korea Mobile Game Association announced on the 2nd that they held the launch ceremony for the ILLUSTAR WORLD Organizing Committee on the 29th of last month at Exhibition Hall 1 of the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
The organizing committee was launched to develop ILLUSTAR WORLD into a global cultural and industrial platform based on the domestic subculture event ILLUSTAR FES. Experts from various fields, including games, content, intellectual property, law, accounting, media, education, public administration, and cloud services, are participating.
The launch ceremony was held at the venue of ILLUSTAR FES 13. After touring major programs, including the creator market, corporate booths, and indie game experiences, attendees shared ILLUSTAR WORLD's vision and plans for moving forward.
Lee Jae-yong, chairman of the Korea Game Policy Association, serves as chair of the organizing committee. Kim Hyun-gyu, senior vice chairman of the Korea Mobile Game Association, serves as executive chair, while Lim Hyeong-ju, chairman of the Yongsan Foundation for Arts & Culture, serves as chair of the advisory committee.
Twenty-seven people joined the organizing committee, including Gyeonggi Provincial Council member Song Gyu-geun; Hwang Seong-ik, chairman of the Korea Mobile Game Association; Seo Beom-gang, chairman of the IP Convergence Industry Association; Hyeon Neung-ho, CEO of Danal Entertainment; Kim Yong-seon, vice chairman of the Korea Character Association; Yoo Eung-jun, former CEO of NVIDIA Corporation; Kim Nam-hoon, former dean of the College of Fine Arts at Chosun University; and Jeong Dae-sik, principal of Game Meister High School.
Drawing on expertise and networks in various fields, the organizing committee plans to explore ways to cooperate in expanding ILLUSTAR WORLD's domestic and international operations and building a global subculture ecosystem.
Hosted by StarLike, ILLUSTAR FES is a comprehensive subculture event featuring performances, cosplay, corporate exhibitions, and indie game experiences centered on a creator market. About 1,000 creator circles participated in ILLUSTAR FES 11, held at KINTEX last May, attracting approximately 32,000 visitors.
Kim Hyun-gyu, executive chair of the organizing committee, said, "The growth of ILLUSTAR FES has confirmed the potential of Korea's subculture culture and industry." He added, "Now is the time to expand these achievements into global markets rather than keeping them confined to Korea, working with experts from various fields." He also stated, "The organizing committee will play a practical role in helping ILLUSTAR WORLD grow into a global subculture platform that connects creators and companies, as well as content and intellectual property, to create new opportunities."
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter