B.gan-ochir: Developing Creative Industry Has Become A Global Choice

Trans. by B.DULGUUN

Creative industry, which includes the film, TV and music sectors, has become the center of global attention as it expands its scope annually without being affected by economic crises.

Presently, the only institute in Mongolia working towards developing creative industry is the Mongolian State University of Culture and Arts. This university was the first to realize the significance of this sector and is aspiring towards adjusting to global trends and running a curriculum for training future producers of art and culture. The university organized the first International Forum for Creative Industry in Mongolia from May 20 to 21, 2015.

Secretary-General of the Mongolian Economic Forum B.Gan-Ochir was interviewed about how the creative industry can be introduced to Mongolia's arts and culture sector.

Not many are familiar with the creative industry. Can you explain what it is?

I think it's best to start from its history. The creative industry is a sector that grabbed interests of many countries after Asia's economic crisis in 1999 and the world economic crisis in 2008. For instance, South Korea understood the significance of the creative sector extremely well after Asia's economic crisis and began investing into the sector. Now, Korea has produced many creative industry products such as films, kimchi, k-pop, as well as "Gangnam Style" song. After the 2008 world economic crisis, the UN and International Monetary Fund began developing a document to specifically study the creative industry because it was the only sector unaffected by the economic crisis.

In 2010, scientists who had studied this sector received Nobel Prizes in Economics. They studied about the economic choices connected to individual's personality and attitude. When studying if people are able to choose the best product with the best quality and low prize, it was concluded that two out of three people are unable to do so. In other words, people prefer shirts from a brand name when making a choice between two shirts with exactly the same material, design and quality. People have a "need" to be respected and valued by others while getting self-satisfaction. Industries that "play" based on this "need" are referred as a creative industry.

What creates a creative industry?

I believe that creative industry doesn't necessary have to be a big sector and starts from small things. For example, if an individual is able to be productive with his or her life, a spark for...