Seobuk Co., Ltd., operator of Photoism, participated in the Korea–China Business Forum held at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, on the 5th as part of the economic delegation. The forum, resumed after about nine years, carried added significance as major companies and institutions from both countries took part in large numbers.

In the content sector of this forum, Seobuk signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China-based “Beijing Aitou Culture Media Co., Ltd.” and agreed to promote a joint content business based on K-pop intellectual property (IP).

“Beijing Aitou Culture Media Co., Ltd.” is a Chinese local company established in 2016 that has focused on the fandom economy and cultural exchange projects in the Korea–China entertainment sector. Its affiliated platform “Yizhiwei (一直?)” is a leading fandom service channel in China and is trusted not only by Chinese fans but also by major Korean entertainment agencies.

The two companies plan to introduce photo content and fan experience-based services utilizing K-pop artist IP to the Chinese market and to expand their business, centering on the local fandom base.

Photoism had already entered the Chinese market in a stable manner last year and is currently operating more than about 100 outlets. Through content such as limited-edition frames and pop-up stores created in collaboration with numerous K-pop artists, it has been drawing attention from the Chinese public and fans. Industry insiders expressed expectations, saying, “This MOU marks a turning point for Photoism to fully target the Chinese K-pop fandom market.”

Seobuk’s technological foundation is also attracting attention. Through its self-developed AI-based integrated management system, the company remotely controls and operates thousands of global kiosks and provides stable services despite differences in network environments by region and country. By combining this with its proprietary color correction engine and data-linking technology between stores via cloud servers, it has realized a consistent photo quality experience anywhere in the world. This capability for in-house technology integration is assessed as a competitive edge that enables the company not only to operate but also to directly build and manage global infrastructure.

Based on such growth potential and technological strength, Seobuk was selected as a preliminary unicorn company in 2025. In the venture investment sector as well, firms such as STIC Ventures, IMM Investment, and SV Investment have participated in investment, recognizing its growth potential.

An industry official commented, “Leveraging its selection as a preliminary unicorn and its technology base, Photoism is expected to pursue aggressive expansion and growth in the Chinese market, where the scale of the K-pop fandom is overwhelming, through this Chinese partnership,” adding, “Photoism’s strategy to evolve beyond simple photo shooting into a global IP platform will become increasingly visible.”

Popular News