□ K-CONnected, the global social service program, was conducted successfully in Chiba Prefecture
and the Tokyo area in Japan on April 11–15 in affiliation with KCON Japan. K-CONnected was
sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and co-hosted by the Korean Foundation
for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) and CJ E&M.

□ The ministry and KOFICE have promoted overseas social contribution in cooperation with CJ
E&M’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) activities since 2012 to enhance private-level international
cultural exchange. Especially on the basis of the memorandum of understanding signed between
KOFICE and CJ E&M last March, the two sides have joined hands in invigorating mutual cultural
exchange with other countries and in utilizing Hallyu for social contributions to overseas communities
and spreading “Good Hallyu” there.

□ K-CONnected is an item included in the MOU that, together with CJ E&M’s global cultural event
KCON, functions as a global social service brand and is designed to practice activities that meet the
demands of the areas where KCON is held.

□ “K-CONnected” is a term joining “KCON” and “connected” and means that the brand aims at
mutual understanding and exchange through social contribution activities based on each area’s social
issues and culture.

□ The first project of K-CONnected was inviting two Japanese social enterprises—Majerca and
Community Bakery Kaze no Sumika (風のすみか, Wind Hangout)—and supporting the operation of
their booths at KCON 2018 Japan held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on April 13–15. The project also
included the shooting and production of publicity content linked to multi-channel networks (MCN).
At the two booths, the products of the two social enterprises sold well to local Hallyu fans.

□ It was noteworthy that support was given indirectly to the social enterprises, not in the form of
direct assistance, in consideration of the socio-cultural atmosphere of Japan that avoids exposure of
underprivileged people.

□ Majerca is a social enterprise aiming at self-support of people with special needs. It sells handicrafts
and miscellaneous goods made by people with disabilities. It also conducts workshops for people
without special needs.

□ Kaze no Sumika is a bakery that offers a home to youths who refuse to go to school and selfconfined
hikikomori, and the youths bake bread and sell their own products there.

□ Hallyu fans who visited the K-CONnected booths expressed sympathy for the spirit of the social
enterprises and seemed surprised at the high quality of the handcrafts and bread. The bakery was so
popular that its products sold out each of the three days. Lucky draw events involving well-known
YouTuber Togimochi and other MCN figures, and the publicity of K-Pop artists particularly appealed
to the Hallyu fans.

□ After participating in the production of MCN-related publicity content and operation of Kaze no
Sumika for three days, 16-year-old Riki Kano said, “My dream is to be a bridge between Korea and
Japan, and I have been studying the Korean language for two years. At the K-CONnected events, I
was able to meet and talk with many Korean and Japanese people, and I am grateful for this
opportunity.”

□ According to the KOFICE report on the “2018 Overseas Hallyu Status Survey,” the Japanese
consumers showed negative views of Hallyu for its commerciality, although the neighboring country
is one of the strategic points for Hallyu’s expansion. Japanese people highly engaged with K-pop
show positive recognition of Korea’s international social service activities, but their approval rate is
only half the global average.

□ Under these circumstances, K-CONnected not only invoked positive interest in social issues in
Japan but also provided an opportunity to reduce negative sentiment towards Korea for greater
communication and mutual growth.

□ The operation of social enterprises, interviews, daily workshops, and the three-day operation of KCONnected
booths will be made into publicity materials and will be distributed through YouTube and
other online platforms for public relations in Japan.

□ KOFICE President Kim Yongrak said, “This project will be instrumental in promoting
communication and a sense of sympathy between Korea and Japan via Hallyu. By contributing to the
local community in Japan through support for social enterprises, it will also increase positive
recognition of Korea in Japan.”