The future of Korea's culture industry is convergence

"Untitled G-Dragon" by Osang Gwon is a photographic sculpture based on a baroque sculpture and inspired by G-Dragon.[SEMA]

Fortunately, the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts) may have a solution.

Last week, the school opened the K-Arts Convergence Creative Center in an attempt to educate students, who usually receive intensive training only in a specific field, in the diverse forms of arts and culture the university offers through its 26 departments in six schools.

University President Kim Bong-ryol said at a press conference marking his two-year anniversary as president that the university aims to "create cultural content that fits in this 21st-century global world".

Chang Jae-ho, professor of music technology at the K-Arts School of Music as well as head of the new center, said that previous interaction among the schools was limited.

"The School of Music somewhat operates independently to the School of Dance, for example," he said. "I don't want to say that's bad, but sometimes we need to allow students to cross over the boundaries of their own school and really learn about [different genres]. The center will act as the hub where that can happen."

Jang added that the center, which is currently still a pilot project, will continue to listen to the needs of students.

"That's in fact how this all started, I guess," he said. "I know that some people say K-Arts is establishing the center because such convergence is one of the forms of art of the near future or because 'convergence' is the hot topic or something, but above all, we felt the need from the students."

The new center will officially open next month.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE, KIM HYUNG-EUN [yim.seunghye@joongag.co.kr]

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3010441