An Analysis of Crucial Factors behind the Successful Film Industry of South Korea Adopting the Concept of Cultural Ecosystem towards Chiang Mai’s Status as a Film City

Abstract

As a part of the project entitled “Reconceptualizing Chiang Mai as a Digital Film City: Using a Cultural Ecosystem Approach to Develop a Strategic Plan for a Sustainable Film City”, this academic article discusses impacts of the concept of cultural ecosystem on crucial factors behind the successful film industry of South Korea. The concept has been used to draw lessons linked with the initiation of developing Chiang Mai Province to accommodate the growth of the film industry perfectly, collaboratively, and systematically by taking the holistic view of the cultural ecosystem into consideration. The article starts with a discussion on general situations of South Korea’s film industry, followed by the significance of the cultural ecosystem concept which is beneficial for analyzing the vital factors behind such success in terms of human potential, potential of sites, management, and participation to analyze and understand the key factors behind the success of South Korea’s film industry as a film city. These parts then lead to the final part of the article which is a discussion on the application of such concept to draw up guidelines on developing Chiang Mai Province into a film city in the future through the form of designing a strategic plan proposal from public sector.