Hyundai Motor Group will participate in animation/character licensing business. As for major companies that have taken part in such business, there are CJ E&M and Cheil Worldwide Inc. These companies take part in this business in vision of their business’ growth and ripple effect.

According to the business on the 15th, Hyundai Motor’s affiliate Innocean had decided to invest together in a car related animation. It is a form of investing a share in a car animation film produced by a animation production company.

CJ E&M, which is a contents enterprise, made animation business department and debuted ‘Robotrain RT’ on TV this month. CJ E&M plans to continue on their business with broadcasting and character toy business, followed by mobile game.

Animation enterprise staff said, “Hyundai Motor and Innocean will hold a business information session together for investors later in the end of upcoming May.” The animation and product release is aimed for early 2016.

He added saying, “Hyundai motor will cooperate also in marketing as well as securing their licensing share in investment form with Innocean.”

The two most well-known domestic advertisement companies, Innocean and Cheil Worldwide Inc., have jumped into the character business as the same time. As Cheil Inc. has already publish their character products, Innocean as well plans to enter the new character business field with much marketing/advertisement strategies and experiences.

According to Korea Creative Content Agency (KCCA), South Korea’s animation film market has been growing average of 4.1% every year. At this rate, the market will have sale record of 619 million USD by 2019. Domestic character business recorded sale of 4.7 billion USD in 2009 and it has increased to 7.7 billion USD in 2014. At this rate by 2019 it is expected to record 12.2 billion USD.

Naver’s mobile social network service(SNS) affiliate Line distributed character stickers via mobile and made profit over 200 million USD. Line will be opening a flagship store called ‘Line Friends’ at Garosu-gil, Gangnam Seoul in this month.

Staff Reporter Lee, Kyungmin | kmlee@etnews.com