Ideas

Connected fitness, wearables, and sustainable spaces demonstrate the advancements of South Korea’s creative economy. The digital and creative industries are at a crossroads, with the global COVID-19 pandemic providing an unavoidable backdrop in its trajectory. The creative industry in Southeast Asia thrived even before the pandemic. Singapore is the world’s tenth largest exporter of creative goods—products from areas like film, art, music, and crafts—generating USD 743 billion in profits and 12.7 million jobs. Thailand and the Philippines are also committed to growing their creative economy, establishing the Thailand Creative Economy Agency (CEA) and filing the Philippines Creative Industries Act. South…

Entertainment producers from Korea see Southeast Asia as the next stepping stone. The dystopian South Korean series “Squid Game” has become a global phenomenon and pop culture sensation, attracting 111 million viewers on Netflix in less than a month after its debut in September 2021. In February, the world’s most popular streaming platform announced plans to spend USD 500 million this year alone on series and films produced in South Korea, demonstrating the draw of the nation’s entertainment creations. With its gripping story, twisted children games, and a terrifying doll that chants, “Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida” (“the hibiscus flower has…

By Jeffrey Seah, Partner, and Gwen Sim, Senior Analyst at Quest Ventures Whilst the investment world anticipated private market funding to slow down at the onset of COVID-19 and its constrictive repercussions to the global economy, tech startups worldwide are instead flushed with an expansive volume of VC funding hitting record highs. Southeast Asia (SEA) is no exception and has successfully drawn a disproportionate allocation of venture capital. High profile exit plans (IPOs, SPACs), opportunistic mergers behind accelerated & desperate digital transformation of legacy industries, and accelerating births of unicorns in the region have collectively generated international attention. We zoom…

South Korean startups are disrupting the market with innovative technologies to widen their reach. The fashion and beauty industries are poised for a transformation supported by tech. Virtual reality “digital mirrors,” or AI algorithms that predict style trends, along with other tech innovations, are expected to reshape a global fashion industry estimated to be worth USD 3 trillion by 2030, according to CB Insights. South Korea is at the forefront of innovation in the fashion and beauty sectors. The country has developed an industry that has remained resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by using tech to redefine the online and…