[Text and Photos by Edaily Reporter Oh Hee-na ] “In the past, many events were little more than showpieces. Once the event ended, the network and results would dissipate along with it. Now, we need an offline hub that builds value year after year and creates meaningful connections between creators and the industry.”
Kim Ji-yoon (pictured), CEO of Dot Planner—a convention planning organization (PCO) with 13 years of experience—made these remarks during an interview held on the 1st at Platform L in Seoul. CEO Kim noted, “While Korea’s strength lies in its rapid adoption of technology, the focus has been disproportionately on the technology itself.” She went on to explain that Futura Canvas is an event designed to ask what role technology plays in our lives and to find answers to why it matters.
CEO Kim stated that the theme of this year’s event is “How can we grow the pie together?” She introduced the “participatory conference” as the strategy chosen to address this question. While art fairs focus on the trading of artworks, media art festivals on the viewing experience, and tech conferences on technology trends, Futura Canvas focuses on designing touchpoints where creators, tech companies, institutions, and distributors can meet.
“The program we introduced to increase these touchpoints is ‘Keyword Coffee Chat,’” he explained. “When participants register, they select keywords and questions, and the system groups them into small groups based on shared interests.”
CEO Kim revealed that while preparing for this year’s fourth edition of the event, he put significant effort into extending its impact to sectors such as lodging, food and beverage, cultural tourism, and local commerce. He noted that selecting Platform L—a unique venue—as the event location was part of this same strategy. He added, “We plan to expand the art tour, which was previously reserved for VIPs, to all participants starting next year.”
To address the biggest challenge—recruiting participants—he proposed grouping events held around the same time into a single “week.” The idea is that bundling multiple events occurring simultaneously will provide diverse experiences and opportunities, thereby increasing participation. He also expressed hope that offering discounts on accommodations, transportation, and tourist attractions in the vicinity of the event venue during that period would enhance Seoul’s appeal as a tourism and MICE destination.
CEO Kim said, “Our goal for next year is to more than double the scale of the event,” adding, “We plan to expand overseas partnerships, primarily in Asia, to strengthen its role as a substantive business hub.”