Entertainment front-runner iHQ eyes worldwide media partnerships
As the Korean wave, or Hallyu, continues to ripple across China and Southeast Asia - fuelling the rise of South Korean cultural exports - Seoul-based integrated entertainment enterprise iHQ is well on its way to becoming Asia's biggest global entertainment content provider.
As the Korean wave, or Hallyu, continues to ripple across China and Southeast Asia - fuelling the rise of South Korean cultural exports - Seoul-based integrated entertainment enterprise iHQ is well on its way to becoming Asia's biggest global entertainment content provider.
With a long-standing reputation for pioneering top-notch films, music and TV shows, iHQ's scientific talent management system, superb human resources infrastructure and quality production environment make it one of the leaders in the Asian entertainment landscape.
"We utilise a business portfolio strategy that gives us a distinct edge over competitors," says Jeon Yong-ju, president and CEO. "We operate like a global media group. Our business divisions compete internally in order to produce the best content, and our competent track record has become a brand in itself, enabling us to forge synergetic business partnerships."
Three in-house but independent business divisions form the backbone of iHQ's operations. Under the name SidusHQ, the company is engaged in artist management, music production, and TV and film production - launching the careers of the majority of South Korea's A-list entertainers. Investing heavily in research and development, iHQ taps into new media and provides professional training to develop up-and-coming artists.
In 2013, iHQ acquired a majority stake in Cube Entertainment, a major South Korean record label. It has also recently completed its merger with a media company, gaining access to six TV channels, thereby firmly establishing itself as an entertainment and media group. The company seeks to identify business opportunities within the Chinese entertainment industry and is open to strategic alliances across Asia in the co-creation, promotion and distribution of entertainment content and equity partnerships.
"We have proven our business model to be quite innovative and successful, and we would like to be more globalised and share our content with the rest of Asia and the world," Jeon says. "As the market evolves, we want to grow from being an entertainment company into a partner of media companies."
