The initiative to develop the “Jincheon K-Story Creative Cluster,” which opened in 2024 in Iwol-myeon, Jincheon-gun, North Chungcheong Province, into a hub for the industrialization of K-Story is set to be fully launched this year.

Jincheon-gun announced on the 12th that it plans to build a “sustainable story ecosystem” within the Jincheon Creative Cluster, with the goal of fostering creators as the main actors of the industry. To this end, it will strengthen “Story Pitch,” a program linking investment and production for creators’ intellectual property (IP), as well as core training courses for content industry roles such as AI-based story translation, OTT (online video service) planning, and IP management. The county’s initiative is based on the assessment that, just two years after its opening, the Jincheon Creative Cluster has emerged as a key base in the K-content creative ecosystem, spanning from creation and mentoring to commercialization and overseas expansion.

According to the county, the Jincheon Creative Cluster, which opened on 28 June 2024 on a 49,000㎡ site near the Forest of Healing in Songnim-ri, Iwol-myeon, is the only integrated story-creation complex in the country. A total of KRW 22.8 billion was invested, including central and local government funds.

The complex houses two writing facilities (12 single rooms and 2 double rooms), accommodation facilities (eight double rooms and eight quadruple rooms), and one educational facility building.

The writing facilities, which serve as a community lounge exclusively for writers, support idea sharing, collaboration, and mutual exchange programs. The accommodation facilities provide space for writers and visitors, while the educational facility is operated as a venue for various training and consulting programs to nurture K-storytellers. A range of programs is also being offered, including planning and creative courses for aspiring writers, youth autobiography writing, and writer experience events.

The Jincheon Creative Cluster has achieved solid results across various areas. Last year it produced 20 writers, with a competition ratio of 8 to 1, and 90% of applicants coming from other regions. Many of the resident writers are active professionals who have participated in major domestic box office hits, and works they wrote during their residency have signed formal contracts with major entities such as Jakga Company Co., Ltd., the largest web novel publisher in Korea, and Naver Webtoon, a global webtoon platform. Some of these works have also been published as standalone books through major domestic publishers.

Twenty-seven universities, companies, and public institutions across the country participated in the K-Story creative exchange program. The teaching staff included field experts such as director Oh Ki-hwan, writer Koo Hye-won, and actor Kim Hong-pyo, adding depth and on-the-ground relevance to the creative training. A total of 1,072 people took part in the creative programs by the end of last year.

The “Super Rookie Hackathon,” the only story-creation hackathon in the country, has become a gateway for young creators. Last year it was held in three categories: “University Student Web Novel Championship,” “University Student Webtoon Championship,” and “Youth Publishing Championship.” Among 148 participants, some works by the 29 awardees are now in the process of being released as e-books and listed on major platforms. Kang Seon-mi, head of the county’s Culture and Tourism Division, said, “The ‘creative IP incubation model,’ which connects discovery of creative works to commercialization, has been realized.” In addition, the “2nd National K-Story Contest,” which limited its themes to the history, landmarks, and culture of North Chungcheong Province, has established itself as a nationwide story competition, attracting around 70 submissions from across the country.

The central government is also showing interest in the Jincheon Creative Cluster. On the 7th, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young visited the complex, toured its main facilities, and held more than an hour of discussions with stakeholders on fostering it as an integrated base for creation, exchange, and growth. On the same day, young creators proposed various ideas, including the establishment of a stable creative environment, stronger links to global expansion, and expansion of long-term residency-based creative support programs.

Kang said, “We will continue to expand an environment centered on the Jincheon Creative Cluster where young creators can fully immerse themselves in their work,” adding, “We will do our utmost to develop programs and operate facilities so that it can rise as a beacon of cultural innovation reaching beyond Korea to the world.”

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