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“Connecting people through content beyond the boundaries of language, culture, and technology, creating a world that everyone can empathize with.”

Good content moves people's hearts, regardless of language or culture. Just as Korean dramas are gaining attention in Israel and K-pop is popular in Europe, the value of content does not diminish across borders. That is the power of content.

However, there are many barriers to overcome for the impact of good content to be fully conveyed. Processes such as translation, dubbing, and subtitling are complex and costly. This remains a high hurdle for K-content to advance globally. Efficient management and flexible recreation of content are also necessary.


In this context, TWIGFARM Co., Ltd., a content AI company with integrated vertical capabilities from data construction to AI model research and Software as a Service (SaaS), is making its mark. Based on accumulated multimodal data processing technology, it supports the entire content recreation process, including translation, dubbing, and video analysis, enhancing AI utilization in the media field. An interview with Baek Sun-ho, CEO of Twigfarm, explored the background of the startup, business strategy, and goals.

Confidence in the Power of Content from Experiences in Nepal and Israel

Founded in 2016, Twigfarm automates the translation and dubbing of broadcast and video content using generative AI, helping K-content reach global audiences. The company name means a farm that grows small twigs (Twig) into large ones. CEO Baek Sun-ho explained, “The founding philosophy of Twigfarm, which is to help anyone tell their story to the world without language barriers, is embedded in the company name,” adding, “The goal is to amplify the empathetic power of content with technology.”

Baek Sun-ho, who majored in electronic and electrical engineering at Chung-Ang University, chose parallel processing as his specialization in graduate school. Parallel processing is a core technology field that enables fast and efficient computing by executing multiple operations simultaneously. It is fundamental in high-performance, big data, and AI output environments. During graduate school, Baek was selected as an international cooperation officer in the IT field in 2006, replacing military service through overseas volunteer work with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Two years later, he worked as a developer at the Samsung Semiconductor Research Institute in Israel.

While working as a developer in Nepal and Israel, Baek Sun-ho experienced various things. He especially felt the power of content when he saw locals enthusiastic about K-content. Baek recalled, “When I was in Israel, the drama ‘Dae Jang Geum’ was incredibly popular. People would call someone pretty ‘Jang-geum,’ the main character in the drama. It was amazing to see a drama broadcast in Korea in 2003 still popular in Israel over a decade later,” adding, “With the popularity of K-content, the affinity for Koreans naturally increased. Many locals were kind just because I was Korean.”


After witnessing the power of content that people can empathize with in different cultural and linguistic environments for six years, Baek Sun-ho stated, “In Nepal, I learned how to live in one's own time, and in Israel, I learned how to create innovative services,” adding, “I decided to start a business to realize these experiences.” He continued, “Content already creates empathy beyond borders, and there is no reason for the process to be slow and limited. I decided to find the answer with AI technology.”

AI Services Specialized in the Content Field Attract Attention

In 2017, just one year after founding the company, Baek Sun-ho launched the translation management platform Langsmarket. Langsmarket was a cloud-based translation support and collaboration solution. Upgraded in 2018, the AI-based translation software service GCon Studio was launched. GCon Studio, a neural network translation support and learning data construction solution, was recognized for its technology, winning an excellence award at the 2020 SW Product Quality Awards.

Currently, Twigfarm focuses on the knowledge intelligence platform Heybunny, based on newsletters, and the generative AI-based media intelligence platform LETR WORKS. Heybunny supports AI curation and automatic translation, summarizing and analyzing content subscribed by users to provide personalized insights. LETR WORKS is a generative AI solution that supports easy, fast, and convenient recreation of original content. It features a large language model (LLM)-based multimodal language processing model and a cloud-based API. It is evolving into a media intelligence platform that allows small and medium-sized content producers and broadcasters to manage content with AI and expand global monetization, beyond just translation-focused services.


AI services specialized in the content field are the core of Twigfarm. Representative services include ▲content localization service ▲newsletter platform service ▲AI system construction service ▲AI data construction service. In particular, Twigfarm provides multilingual localization services in collaboration with domestic and foreign media companies such as SBS and the US OTT company ODK Media. According to Twigfarm, over 38,000 hours of video and over 90 million characters of text have been translated, terminologized, and automatically subtitled through LETR WORKS to date.

Twigfarm's collaboration scope is also diverse. It is conducting various B2B projects, including translation and dubbing localization of new media content for companies like iMBC and SM Entertainment, multilingual metadata construction for YouTube creators to expand advertising revenue, and AI labeling to improve video understanding model performance.

Baek Sun-ho stated, “Twigfarm is the only company in Korea that vertically integrates the entire content and AI industry, from AI research, learning data construction, model development, SaaS solutions, to professional translation and dubbing services,” emphasizing, “We have evenly equipped AI technology competitiveness that connects data learning, AI models, and AI services. We develop business models optimized for the content field to provide services.”


According to Twigfarm's business structure, it can independently perform the entire process from AI research to actual service provision. It is possible to continuously enhance personalized dedicated AI models by exclusively managing and utilizing client content data. As a result, Twigfarm recorded an annual revenue of approximately KRW 2.5 billion (as of 2024). The balanced growth of public sector AI data construction projects and B2B sales to private content companies positively demonstrates Twigfarm's business viability. Currently, it is in the process of attracting Series A (targeting approximately KRW 3 billion) investment.

Finding Business Direction Amidst Trial and Error

Twigfarm did not always have a smooth path. Initially focusing solely on translation to lower language barriers, it successively launched Langsmarket and GCon Studio. These solutions had translators as major clients, but demand was not high. It failed to properly assess the gradually declining translation market. Nevertheless, Baek Sun-ho did not stop. Recognizing the high preference for video, he drastically changed the company's solutions.

In particular, Twigfarm co-developed AI translation and dubbing technology for broadcast and OTT content with broadcaster SBS in 2021. This was part of a government support project, signaling the development of LETR WORKS. After the launch of LETR WORKS, the client base shifted from translators to content media companies, increasing expansion and collaboration possibilities.

Baek Sun-ho explained, “Finding what clients truly want and verifying whether it can be practically used in the field was much more challenging than the technology development itself,” adding, “We found improvement points by interviewing clients or using the service directly.” In fact, Twigfarm provides enterprise services using LETR WORKS independently and continuously improves functions through internal feedback. Plans include adding features such as ▲semantic (context-centered similarity) search for creative efficiency ▲video generation based on original works ▲content asset cataloging ▲content sales kit creation and management ▲promotion performance analysis and management.


Moreover, as a developer unfamiliar with management, Baek Sun-ho actively made efforts, such as taking entrepreneurship-related courses. He accumulated management know-how through direct experience. Starting with three members, Twigfarm expanded to a team of 20 and established a Singapore corporation for full-scale global market entry.

Baek Sun-ho confidently stated, “Twigfarm is a team that crosses the boundaries of technology and content, composed of AI researchers, developers, language experts, marketing, and business development personnel.” He added, “Under the philosophy of ‘Empathy through Content,’ we enhance work productivity using AI and practice a collaborative culture that respects each other,” emphasizing, “We are creating an autonomous and flexible environment where all members clearly understand the meaning of their work and can grow together.”

Evolving into an Integrated Media Intelligence Platform

Twigfarm's current task is to enhance the practical utility of content creation sites amid rapidly evolving AI technology. To this end, it expands its business beyond simple localization to AI-based Data Asset Management (DAM). Baek Sun-ho explained, “Until now, we have provided functions centered on the safe storage of content assets and localization work support, but we plan to provide solution services by applying various AI technologies for major clients, content media companies,” adding, “We are evolving into an integrated media intelligence platform that can automatically convert and utilize content assets held by clients for various purposes such as advertising, marketing, and education.”

By 2026, Twigfarm aims to establish itself as a ‘global media intelligence SaaS company.’ It plans to enhance its proprietary data intelligence technology and establish itself as a Korean content technology company within the global AI ecosystem. Accordingly, it is planning to enter the North American market following Singapore.


It also strengthens support for K-content exports. It plans to automate and intelligentize localization costs, which are burdensome in the export process of K-dramas, webtoons, and educational content, to lower export barriers. It is also preparing to expand into multilingual educational content and global learning platform businesses in collaboration with educational companies.

This year, Twigfarm is participating in the Seoul Business Agency (SBA)'s super-gap open innovation promotion support program. This program is a support project to enhance the external promotion and marketing capabilities of super-gap selected companies through effective promotion support. Baek Sun-ho emphasized, “We are strengthening our foundation to compete on the global stage by receiving support such as technology verification, overseas networking, and investment linkage programs,” adding, “We will help K-content be more easily consumed worldwide with AI technology.”

In this way, Twigfarm is establishing itself as a startup that practically contributes to the global spread and export of K-content. Baek Sun-ho stated, “Someday, a video created by a Korean one-person creator will be translated into 50 languages in real-time and released simultaneously worldwide,” adding, “When that day comes, content creators will only need to focus on ‘good stories.’ Language will no longer be a barrier but an opportunity.” He continued, “Twigfarm is creating technology to bring that future closer. We will enable global content creators to tell their stories to the world without worrying about language through our platform.”

IT Donga Reporter Park Gwi-im (luckyim@itdonga.com)

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