Performance Support Program, Expanding Nationwide

KT&G SangSang Madang Hongdae is supporting the practical growth of indie musicians by implementing various music support projects. Starting with “Band Discovery” first introduced in 2007, it supports the growth of new artists in various ways, including My First Concert which has been conducted since 2015. KT&G also expands the project at a national level through SangSang Madang Busan opened in 2020. The “Indie on Spotlight”, one of representative program of SangSang Madang Busan, provides mentoring of popular musicians and performance experience to new musicians based in Busan. Musicians such as Harim, Yozoh, and Car the Garden participated as mentors, and the mentors helps the selected mentee musicians throughout the entire process, from concert planning to joint performance, so that they can experience actual growth. The SangSang Live Practice Room program provides live hall space, musical instruments and equipment in KT&G SangSang Madang Busan to musicians who need a practice space and stage experience. KT&G ensures that participants can expand their activity stage nationwide through cooperation with SangSang Madang Hongdae.

Exhibition Support to Help New Artists Shine

The exhibition support project of SangSang Madang started with SangSang Madang Hongdae Gallery. Opened in 2007, KT&G SangSang Madang Hongdae focuses on supporting non-mainstream culture rather than popular culture. Therefore, it plans new visual arts as an exhibition space that supports contemporary art, nonmainstream art and new artists. In 2023, the 14th ‘KT&G SKOPF’ provided selected photographers of the year with support grants, mentoring, and exhibition opportunities. Since 2021, KT&G Daechi Gallery has also been running the ‘Daechi Artist Fellowship (DAF)’, a biannual exhibition support project, endeavoring to discover artists across various disciplines such as photography, painting, and installation art. In addition, SangSang Madang Busan Gallery, which opened in 2020, implemented ARTISTART, a preliminary artist support program in connection with local art universities. It supports graduates of art colleges to take the first steps as artists by supporting exhibitions.

SangSang Madang Academy – a Gateway to Artists from Amateur to Professional

KT&G SangSang Madang Academy has been launching and running various courses since its opening in 2007 with the hope that more people can and experience culture and arts with ease. To foster professionals in the field of culture and arts, we are operating concert planner workshop, design figure production process, and Bologna picture book workshop, while also running hobby courses to spread daily creative education that life becomes art. These courses give students opportunities to experience a new culture and gives new motivation for creative activities to artists. Starting in 2023, Sangsangmadang Academy alumni will lead a series of special lectures, contributing to the virtuous cycle of the cultural and artistic community.

Unlocking the Potential of Independent Films: ‘The Great Short Film Festival’

Since 2007, Sangsang Madang Hongdae Cinema has been operating the nation＇s premier short film discovery program, ‘The Great Short Film Festival,’ unearthing independent films filled with creativity and connecting promising films with audiences. In its 15th iteration in 2023, the festival received 601 entries. After evaluations by a panel of jurors including actors Gong Min-jeong, Seung-Mok Yoo and directors Lee Jong-pil, Han Jun-hee, 25 films made it to the finals, meeting 1,127 attendees. The festival featured various themes such as Short Film Competition, Short Film Invitation, and Short Film Special Sections, and awarded a total of 17 million won in prize money, continuing to provide steadfast support for the development of the short film industry.

SangSang Madang Cinema

Korea Cosmetics Challenge – Youth Startup Support Program & SangSang Flea Market – Flea Market for Local Small Businesses

KT&G has been operating the “Korea Cosmetics Challenge” contest to support youth start-ups since 2021, aimed at supporting startup ideas in the beauty field. The entire process of the contest is performed in collaboration with SangSang Madang’s cultural contribution platform and COSMOCOS, one of KT&G Group subsidiaries. COSMOCOS supports the final selection team in the overall brand development and production process so that ideas can lead to actual commercialization, by providing ODM-based product development support, expert mentoring and accelerating support, promotion booth and follow-up marketing support, etc.

“SangSang Flea Market” of SangSang Madang Busan is a flea market held together with local merchants. This flea market is held on the last Saturday of every month with the goal of mutual prosperity with local small businesses. This flea market is becoming a place for small business owners to meet consumers, and for visitors to enjoy various cultural and artistic programs such as busking and exhibitions along with shopping. Sangsangmadang Busan is nurturing the flea market as a brand that co-exists with local small business owners. It also provides design square tenants with growth opportunities as a stepping stone for their continuous development.