• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.34
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• pp.317-344
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• 2014

Perspectives on the basis of arts and cultural management, this study intends to suggest improvements in core curriculums that are required in order for South Korea, a country that has initiated into the animation industry through outsourcing from big-budget animation production countries such as America and Japan, to develop its own strong base in creative animation industry. The perspectives of arts management in this context means an integration nexus between human studies, social science and management, and suggestions are as follow: First, it is crucial to understand the current trend of animation industry structure across the globe, as well as to develop the ability of co-production. Animation industry often requires technical skills, capital strength and human resources, each having equal importance. Therefore, thorough analysis of the three components in worldwide animation industry must be preceded for animation production services. To do so, collaboration with major animation creation countries is the best option and is highly encouraged, so that the national animation curriculum shall be enhanced to meet such demands and hence develop various abilities. The second is a good understanding of new-media and new-platforms. Not only the traditional distributor of animation such as television and theater, the distribution system expands its scope to a variety of online sources including pod-casts and the Internet. Under these circumstances, a deep understanding towards animation distribution system and an analysis of the new consumer channel are also of paramount importance for animation production. Third, a possibility of animation supply chain through diversified routes and media have paved the way for a possible animation production services and distribution without a mega-budget. Thus, new curriculum shall need to reinforce marketing and management aspects that will in turn help individuals to establish a self-employed creative business. Last but not least, this study further includes illustration of current curriculum of animation studies in national universities, followed by detailed suggestions for the curriculum improvements based on the above mentioned three factors. It was observed that the current curriculums have been solely focused on practical works and technical skills of animation and art studies; a four-year-course colleges that provide animation courses usually lack components of human studies, social science and management. Thus, this study proposes essential contexts of management studies that are needed for individual business and also curriculum improvements that are derived from the analysis of the current industry and the new media.