SPP 2021: Asia’s Leading Animation Market Is Now Holding Its Second Virtual Edition
This year’s edition of Seoul Promotion Plan (SPP), one of Asia’s premier global content markets, is underway. Seoul Business Agency will hold the event online until July 30.
The market, which is normally held in the South Korean capital, specializes in animation, characters, webtoons, and gaming. Since launching in 2001, it has grown into a major forum for the promotion and sale of animation IP, and for discussion about the future of the sector in Asia and beyond.
Last year, 619 companies from 34 countries, including global titans Disney and Tencent, participated in a record 4,092 biz-matching cases. And this despite the fact that the event was held online, like this year, because of the pandemic. While a virtual event can’t replicate the social side of an onsite gathering, it lets guests attend more meetings — something which SPP’s ever-evolving online platform facilitates.
Read on for more information about how SPP works and why you should attend:
Who is the event for?
Content creators, producers, studios, and anyone else in the content industry looking to diversify their business. SPP aims to serve in particular as a bridge between Korean and overseas companies, matching IP creators with buyers. Interpreters are present at the market to ensure smooth communication.
What’s happening this year?
SPP is hosting a full program of business-to-business events, including biz-matching, pitches, and showcases. One-to-one business video conferences are being held between attendees from more than 30 countries.
At the Global Ignite forum, major companies hold presentations on new developments in production, marketing, technologies, and investment across animation and other content, presenting opportunities for business development. Sessions include a talk on Canadian-Korean co-productions and an interview with Carl Reed, Director of Lion Forge Animation.
Recent additions to the program include a corporate-led content IR program and a webtoon category to appeal to buyers form China, a major overseas market for the format.
SPP also showcases the latest animation from Asian countries through the Asia Animation Alliance.
What is the Asia Animation Alliance?
A consultative body that promotes growth and collaboration in Asian animation. The participating countries are Korea, China, Japan, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Alongside the showcases, representatives will discuss the trends in their respective country’s industry.
What’s new at SPP in 2021?
While SPP has had an online platform since 2017, this year sees the introduction of SPP Connect, a new and improved virtual offering. It incorporates functions that improve user experience, such as AI-based recommendation solutions and video conferencing solutions, as well as advanced scheduling and online screening systems.
“The newly established SPP Connect will become an online platform that can play a key role in exporting domestic contents amid the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic,” says Park Bo-kyung, head of SBA Seoul Animation Center. “At SPP 2021, we plan to provide support for domestic companies to create substantial business results by providing various opportunities to leading overseas buyers to pitch their projects.”
