Soft Power Strategy in Creative Content Industry with Creative Economy in South Korea

Abstract

This research proposed to study soft power strategy with creative economy in South Korea to provide fundamental knowledge for developing what could possibly be a soft power strategy for Thailand. The research relies on a qualitative approach, covering document research and analysis of data based on cultural diffusion theory, soft power, and creative economy concept.

It was found that the success of soft power strategy implementation with the creative economy in South Korea has been strongly supported by the Korean government for two decades especially in film, content, and music industries. Korea also had good collaboration from the public and private sectors to push soft power cultural media from local to global market through the statements of Korean president and Korean government policy. Moreover, the Korean government set up the organization to respond to soft power strategies clearly and continually on many levels: national branding, development in media human resources and innovation, cultural public diplomacy, and tourism and cultural exportation.

The Thai government and Creative Economy Agency (CEA) should be responsible for the concept of soft power strategy with creative economy, as Thailand has more cultural materials and opportunity to create soft power for exporting into the global market.