"By 2014, the performance content market in Korea, China, and Japan will reach $100 million USD in revenue. If we utilize the high popularity of Hallyu singers and actors, I believe that Korea can take the lead in 3D content." Kim Heung Su (46) is the director of SK Telecom's 3D performance business and is spending his busy days watching the performances of Korean singers. His job involves turning these live performances into 3D content and showcasing them in theaters. His first project was completed last month with a 75 minute video of Wheesung's new album, titled "Live In 3D Wheesung: It's Real." The movie played in 30 different theaters country-wide, highly impressing fans and fellow singer Baek Ji Young alike. After attending the preview, she commented, "It gave me goose bumps. Can you turn my album into that, too?" However, the movie has only managed to pull in $40,000 USD after taking nearly $1 million USD in production expenses. - Is there marketability in this? "We believe that the audience is just not used to it yet since it's the first time we've shown it. Regardless, this is only the beginning. After presenting it in theaters, we can sell it to internet and satellite broadcasting companies. In the future, we are planning to create content specifically for cell phones. Once we expand with idol singer concerts and other famous musicals, the situation will look a lot better." - Can you create a considerable amount of profit from this? "We have a variety of profit models. Our first plan is to use Hallyu stars overseas in order to bring in income for the production costs. We will be opening a new preview with major movie companies in Japan at the end of this month. A lot of movie chains in Japan are highly interested in the project. We're hoping to seek out a partnership with the IPTV industry. Not only SK brands but KT and Cook TV are also thirsting to enter the 3D contents industry. We're currently receiving financial support from the electronics industry and are discussing indirect ad placements as well." - Do you have enough content to sell? "This was the hardest part. A lot of popular singers in Korea demanded a high guarantee payment, but with the debut of Wheesung's concert, the situation has improved. We're currently shooting 3D footage for 2AM and will be releasing that in December. Singers and actors can now earn a part of the profit through their 3D content and fans can enjoy a high quality concert at a cheaper price. It's a win-win situation for everyone. We will be looking into sports content soon as well. Wouldn't it be cool if we could watch the Korean series in theaters in 3D?" Although the hit movie "Avatar" managed to create more interest in 3D content, there hasn't been another venture after the South African World Cup that has lived up to its fame yet. Movies take an extensive amount of time and money to produce in 3D, which is why the industry has turned their attention to music videos. Samsung brought in the director of "Avatar" and held a press conference, revealing that they would be producing BoA's "Hurricane Venus" and SNSD's "Genie" in 3D. Sony Music has also financially supported Hallyu star Ryu Shi Won's "Rottyful Sky" 3D music video. However, unlike these electronics companies producing 3D content for TV sale, SK Telecom is investing in the industry as a whole, believing that the first country to hold the most content will take the lead. - When did you begin having interest in concert performances? "I went on a business trip to America in 2006 and saw that they were showing performances from the New York Metropolitan Opera's Lincoln Center in theaters all across the country. Although it was just in 2D, I realized that it was a great opportunity for people to easily enjoy these performances at a lower cost. Everything is becoming more and more digitalized. Creating concert content is not only a new business but an advancement of a new culture." - Do you think you can compete with international 3D content? "Disney's 'Hannah Montana' and 'U2 3D' have all been attracting a lot of popularity. After creating our own, we've realized that we, too, have not fallen behind in terms of quality. There is no clear competitor with his own secret know-hows out there in the 3D market. Our production team is highly confident in our skills. At the very least, Korea can take the lead in the Japanese and Chinese markets." Source + Photos: Central Sunday via Naver