Syska Hennessy Group’s Post

Last week, the Korean IP Office (KIPO) in Daejeon hosted the IP cohort of KDI. This was my second visit to the Korean IP office and the first to the IP office in Daejeon. The Korean IP office is one of my co-hosts at KDI School. I’m often fascinated by South Korea's journey to becoming a global #innovation hub. Despite starting in the 1900s as a Japanese colony and later a war zone, it consistently ranks among the world’s most innovative countries now. Specifically, Korea’s leadership in the #intellectualproperty sector is remarkable! Secret was a 'top-down' approach where the #government, industry, and academics team up closely to make important decisions. Back in the day, President Park Chung-hee (1961-79) changed the game by shifting the focus from foreign finance and #technology to finding local options. He placed a serious emphasis on R&D and precise policymaking, creating institutions like the KIST(Korea Institute of Science and Technology) and the Korea Development Institute (KDI). This move gave rise to big industrial players like LG, Hyundai, Lotte, and Samsung, prompting them to invest heavily in R&D while keeping the #competition at bay. IP rights were given utmost importance for protecting new technologies and capturing the international market. The result? South Korea became a self-reliant leader in technology and innovation! Despite having a population of just 51.74 million, Korea files the fourth-highest number of #patent applications globally, which is truly inspiring!

During my recent adventures in Seoul, a city that beautifully merges ancient traditions with contemporary energy, I came across a thought-provoking quote in a charming boutique: "Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn." This saying deeply resonates with Korea's own evolutionary tale. While touring the DMZ, I was confronted with the undeniable testament of Korea's turbulent past and the indomitable spirit of its inhabitants. This iconic border resonates with tales of aspiration, unity, and an indefatigable will. Instead of bowing to adversities, Korea has transformed challenges into stepping stones towards progress and enlightenment. My foray into the heart of Korean culture and cuisine was nothing short of enchanting. Donning Hanboks and savoring the warmth of kimchi brought stories alive – an intricate dance between tradition and contemporaneity. The electrifying rhythms of K-pop juxtaposed with the elegance of age-old artistry is testament to Korea's prowess in balancing the new with the cherished old. In the journey of life, each one of us encounters peaks and valleys. It's pivotal to internalize that setbacks are not defeats; they're invaluable lessons. Each event, whether it marks a victory or imparts wisdom, enriches our personal mosaic, molding us into the individuals we are destined to be. With this newfound insight, I am inspired to carry forth the essence of this ageless wisdom, rejoicing in successes and equally cherishing the lessons, as both are integral to our road to fulfillment. #LifeInSeoul #JourneyOfLearning #KoreanSagacity 🇰🇷

Taiwan has set in place its most determined plan ever to cement the country’s creative industry place on the global stage. If there is one uncertainty, it’s the election in January 2024, which could, if things don’t go according to the current plan, change everything. But for now, the so called “black tide” initiative is a powerful force, leaving no doubt about the current administration’s well-funded commitment and support. From the beginning of 2024, there's NT$10 billion/US$318 million over four years in the 1+4 T-content plan (aka “Black Tide”) to provide comprehensive support for the development of Taiwan’s cultural content industry in six major aspects of culture and the arts. The rest of the story is at https://lnkd.in/gf6dCFRJ #contentasia #TAICCA #taiwandrama

Kunming city, China

Magdalene Fung's article in The Straits Times on #HongKong's #LionRockSpirit is timely since I'm in HK this weekend. Since I arrived yesterday, many of my conversations with my HK friends and business contacts were pessimistic about HK's future. But Basil Hwang took a completely different view - he said that HKers have an immense drive and hunger that far exceeds that of our fellow Singaporeans. They have to fight just to survive. Singaporeans, on the other hand, are very comfortable and many young people don't feel the need to push themselves to excel in a very demanding world. I discovered today by reading this article that there is a name for this called the "Lion Rock Spirit", which was derived from Roman Tam's theme song in the 1972 RTHK TV Show "Below The Lion Rock". The 495m high granite peak that resembles a crouching lion has been the symbol of HKers "resilience in the face of insurmountable hardship" and "the admirable collective spirit that drives the city's efficiency and vibrancy" "Hand in hand, together we'll smooth the rocky roads ahead. Through hard work, we'll write the Hong Kong story into eternity... (we) cast off our differences in pursuit of unity" - goes the song. ----- If only Singaporeans understood how fragile we are in this big bad world. We need to be exceptional to continue to drive the Singapore story forward. No complacency possible. #weekendmusings #alwayslearning

The traditional core of Beijing essentially consisted of two walled cities (the walls no longer stand), the northern inner city and the southern outer city. The inner city, also known conventionally as Tatar City, lay to the southwest of the site of the Mongol city of Dadu; it was in the form of a square, with walls having a perimeter of nearly 15 miles (24 km). The outer city, also known as the Chinese City, was added during the reign of the Ming emperor Jiajing (1521–66/67); it was in the form of an oblong adjoining the inner city, with walls that were 14 miles (23 km) in length, including 4 miles (6 km) of the southern wall of the inner city. Within the inner city was the

And today we screen Our film festival, #globalstagehollywood, working with the Government of Alberta and The Town of Higashikawa, Hokkaido, presents a very special screening at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. "Songs of Kamui" is a coming-of-age tale about the headstrong and brilliant Teru, who longs to attend school with the other girls. But in early 20th-century Japan, Teru is excluded because she is Ainu (Indigenous to Hokkaido Japan) Because the Ainu culture transmits its traditions through “yukar” (oral poems) instead of writing, it is dismissed as rudimentary by the Japanese elite. But when Teru meets a Tokyo professor who has devoted his life to decoding yukar, Teru seizes her chance to not only prove her brilliance but also to rewrite the fate of her people. Even as the past decades have seen a rise of interest in celebrating the histories and cultures of Indigenous people in Australia, Europe, the United States, and the Canadian-Alaskan Inuit, Japan is starting to reconcile its own issues regarding Indigenous people. The Ainu people have called Hokkaido – home for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that the Japanese government finally recognized them as the region’s “official” indigenous culture; the Ainu are still fighting for the right to fish their traditional waters. Untaught in our schools, Ainu culture risks erasure if it’s not recorded and conveyed to future generations. The Town of Higashikawa, our partner of two years, has been unique in its funding, production, and promotion of this film. It is an excellent example of how local areas of Japan can promote themselves abroad. This is something #globalconnectsmedia is in deep support of and encourages other areas to try similar. We are very proud to be involved in this important project and will bring "Songs of Kamui" to Los Angeles later this year to Global Stage Hollywood 2024, Nov 1-3rd at the #chinesetheatre in Hollywood. #indigenous #dei #ainu #reconciliation #film #independentfilm #localrevitalization #traveljapan https://lnkd.in/gRWsRAaH

ZCY facility in Nanyang, China