The Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation and other relevant organization and parties are just about done with their planning stages in creating the second "animation multiplex" in all of Korea. For the education and entertainment of animation enthusiasts and those deeply involved in the development, production and marketing of animation titles domestically and internationally, the Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation is expecting the plans to be finished by next Spring/Summer months. South Korea, the home to a number of animation houses that many westerners are familiar with as outsourcing groups, have recently gained the awe and support of the animation community for their recent strives at multi-media adaptations and original programming projects.
The first animation-specific theater in Korea, the Seoul Ani-Cinema, is a cultural landmark that focuses on domestic short and feature animations. The Cheongju animation multiplex is expected to be a mastery of construction and a service to the international animation community. Currently planned as a public area for those in the community and those in the profession to come together to discuss, view and critique quality Korean and other animations, the Cheongju project is a plan that rivals the schematics of most western theater complexes. A project of the Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation, the Korean animation community is abuzz over news of the ambition behind this multimedia facility. The building, currently called the Cheongju Advanced Cultural Industry Complex, will ultimately house an animation multiplex (or theater) in addition to having facilities for business on other, separate floors.
The multiplex, the Edutainment Experience Pavilion, will reportedly have a seating capacity of 140. The second in Korea that specializes in animation, this multiplex will be equipped with all forms of feature film technology that will allow the screening of all kinds of films--new and old--including everything from DVD to 25mm, 6mm films, HD, as well as being equipped with a 3D virtual multimedia device and top notch audio capabilities (5.1+) in addition to silver screens, an editing room and a lighting system. And to think, this is just the first floor of the Cheongju Advanced Cultural Industry Complex.
"Most Koreans are familiar only with the animations of Disney or those made by the Japanese," said an official of Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation. "We hope that the animation multiplex we are currently building will help expose the people of Cheongju to other animation works by allowing the screening of animations from the different regions of the world, including those from Europe and those made using alternative methods."
The Cheongju Advanced Cultural Industry Complex will be a three-story structure in total, each story with a reported width of 9900 square meters worth of space to work with--while apparently, the multiplex/theater will encompass 480+ square meters of the first floor. The second and third floors of the Industry Complex will serve a multitude of purposes and functions for the animation industry. They will be offered for lease to production companies, to house cultural-content facilities, conventions, exhibition halls, a character exhibition center and a cartoon library. The Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation has high expectations for their Industry Complex, to say the least. According to sources, such as KoreaContent.org, officials intend for the entire facility to be a professional yet enjoyable "business park," where "planning, production, and marketing" of animation "can be done in one place."
"The first floor of the complex will be Korea's first exhibition-experience pavilion, which will showcase all sorts of cultural contents, including cartoons, animations, characters, and edutainment," said Yu, Won-Jong, Vice Director of Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation's Industry Team. "While Cheongju has a population of only 620,000, the potential demand for the facility is huge. We therefore expect that many citizens will use it."
The Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation is also planning a variety of programs and event calendars to help get people involved--industry or otherwise. For the people of Cheongju, the "Animation Impact Festival" is planned for next year in conjunction with Seoul, Kwangju, Daegu, and Jeju in order to celebrate the influence of short and full-length Korean and foreign animation that isn't so easily accessed by public audiences. The animation multiplex will be constructed with this in mind; that is to say, to bring animation enthusiasts the kinds of productions they may not be so familiar with but are nevertheless possess an important cultural integrity. Likewise, the animation multiplex will also serve to give creators a new and interesting venue for their projects.
(source: KoreaContent.org News) || Catch up on the latest television and theatrical Korean animation news at the following, recently published AnimationInsider.net news articles: "'Mix Master' Heads Westward" (08/20/06), ""Backkom" Goes International" (08/13/06), "Korean Animation on Britain's BBC" (08/23/06), "'Dream of Janggeum' Season II" (08/18/06), "The Value of a 'Giant's Friend'" (08/10/06), "'PapePopo' Animation News" (05/29/06), "Microsoft in Animation" (05/26/06), ""Sorry, but I Love You" Animated" (05/08/06) & ""Classic" Korean Animation" (05/08/06).