커뮤니케이션으로서의 이벤트에 관한 연구

Role of Events in Communication

-A Comparative Study of the Regional Festivals in Korea and Japan-

Advertising & PR Major

The Graduate School of Journalism, Communication and Informations,

SungKunKwan University

In the field of advertising, there has been a growing interest in and role for events. Unfortunately, event planning specifically and advertising in general are at a rather unsophisticated level in Korea. If this communications field is to grow these deficiencies

will have to be first addressed.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on and analyze the deficiencies in events and event planning - using events in Japan as a relative comparison - and offer suggestions for improvements. As a part of the analyses, the paper took into account the following:

1. current state of the event industry in Korea and Japan and its peculiarities;

2. current state of regional festivals in Korea and Japan and its peculiarities;

3. differences and similarities between the regional festivals in Korea and Japan; and

4. problems with and solutions for regional festivals in Korea.

The test events used for the above comparison were: "1995 Ichon Ceramics Festival", "1998 Choong-moo-gong 400 Year Anniversary Martial Arts Test Reenactment", and "1999 Jindo Youngdungjae Festival" on the Korea side; and "Osaka National Expo", "Kobe Photopia", "Yamaguchi Prefecture National Center", and "Kihu Prefecture Event" on the Japan side.

After comparing the above events, the following conclusions were reached. In Korea, the event industry is separated into and run by advertisement agencies, international conference organizers, entertainment production companies, fashion agencies, and event agencies. It was also found that these companies and agencies are in general small, lack professionals, constrained by low finances, and lack the know-how and capacity.

As for the festivals themselves, Korea's regional festivals can be separated into eight broad problems.

First, there is no importance attached to the "packaging" of these festivals. Second, the region's citizens are not included, per se, in the festival's marketing strategy. Third, the currently weak concept of an "event" as a part of public relations - and its associated problems - are still widespread. Fourth, the regional festivals are too "regional" and not easily spread to those outside the region. Fifth, the regional festivals are planned and organized from the top down (i.e. the local government) with little thought to getting the citizens involved and excited. Sixth, and this follows the fifth problem, the government - citizens relationship is weak; lines of communication are not very open. Seventh, there are a lack of experienced professionals who can pull off successful regional festivals and events. And finally, these regional events and festivals lack the "tourist attraction" aspect in terms of marketing, organization, etc.

When comparing Korea's festivals with Japan's, the following solutions are offered for Korea's deficiencies. First, the festivals need to improve their overall quality. As Korea's are still far behind Japan's in this regard, Korea still has much work to do, but at the same time, much more potential. Second, marketing strategies need to expand to include areas outside that one particular region. Third, and in conjunction with the marketing, the regions themselves need to develop more and improve so as to bring people back to the region on a permanent basis. Currently, too many people are leaving the regions for the more developed big cities, especially Seoul. Fourth, develop and improve the region's image so other, non-region people will come when there actually are festivals as well as when there are not. Fifth, develop the regional festival so that they will be more "international" friendly.

In conclusion, Korea's regional events and festivals are unsophisticated and at an immature stage, especially when compared with those in Japan. However, there are great opportunities and possibilities for Korea. But only if the nation's event planners and organizers take a collective and strategic view of the space. Learning from Japan can be a start.

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