Jeju Island is known for being blessed by nature and beauty, but this famous tourist hotspot and popular resort has seen incredible changes in recent years. High-tech enterprises and an increasing influx of cultural immigrants are making Jeju a "base of creation and innovation." In this new Jeju, AMOREPACIFIC seeks a new kind of innovation that goes beyond what cosmetic companies have ever dared to do. To make a creative island where work, relaxation and culture meet, AMOREPACIFIC has opened the 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center.

On October 27, the 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center opened. Here is where beauty, the core value of AMOREPACIFIC, truly exists. AMOREPACIFIC has been trying to protect the natural environment and resources in Jeju, while seeking out sustainable growth in a bid to grow together with Jeju society. Back in the 1970s, AMOREPACIFIC already had a precious relationship with Jeju when it opened the Dosun Tea Garden on the island. This precious relationship between Jeju and AMOREPACIFIC will be nurtured again on the basis of coexistence and innovation.

"A creative economy is defined by the value of creative ideas. Supported by AMOREPACIFIC and connected with the central government and the local Jeju government, the 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center is planning to foster the local economy. We are also seeking to establish a K-beauty ecosystem while developing the senary industry (defined as the combination of secondary and tertiary industries)," said Baek Seok-yun, the head of AMOREPACIFIC Creative Economy Support Group.
Baek notes that there are three main business areas. The first is to build a Creative R&D base to heighten the value of resources on Jeju. Further research will be carried out into more Jeju resources and the fruits of this research will be used to revive the local economy. Currently, AMOREPACIFIC is conducting new research, while combining their research with other studies taken in Jeju. In doing so, AMOREPACIFIC aims to make useful datasets which are valuable both from an economic and an eco-friendly perspective.

Second, a beauty ecosystem will be established through a focus on the K-beauty industry. This ecosystem aims to help new business and encourage mutual growth. In other words, AMOREPACIFIC will be involved with the dissemination of beauty or health knowledge for small and medium cosmetic companies or beauty startups on Jeju Island. This does not just represent a social contribution. By supporting them, AMOREPACIFIC can have future partners whom it will work with on developing a stronger beauty ecosystem for further innovation. Lastly, the senary industry will be developed, which represents the combination of secondary and tertiary industries. AMOREPACIFIC will share its knowhow and achievements, such as tea gardens where a plot of barren land turned into a green tea farm and the OSULLOC Tea Museum. Furthermore, research will be carried out to establish a new village famous for Jeju-originated resources and develop promising industries where beauty and culture meet. In this way, AMOREPACIFIC can create unique cultures and attractions on Jeju.
To fulfill these three main business areas, the eight professionals employed at the 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center are working hard to make good progress in cosmetics research, advertising and marketing. Their job is not to make things that don't exist in the world. They connect existing values to create synergies and propel innovation by working closely with partners. In other words, they will work for further development on a beauty ecosystem based on the principle of "coexistence."

Anybody can visit the 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center, which features the J Creative Lab for researchers, J Cloud Café for social meetings and Open Desk where eight professionals work. Visiting can be made through reservations. Since the Center opened last October, cosmetic companies in Jeju, people who are considering setting up a startup business, related agencies, and universities have been frequent visitors. Indeed, such has been the level of interest, that there have even been enquiries from such far-flung areas as Gangwon-do, Incheon, Gwangju and Busan.

"Visitors to the Center can receive help from the professionals of AMOREPACIFIC in regard to research facilities and labor. A mentoring service for startups and fostering business is also provided. For a more professional and systemic consultation, we are currently preparing a phased mentoring program. From next year, we will produce customized programs for candidates from university students to startup and preliminary hidden champion companies." The concept of a "creative economy" is relatively new, thus activities to this related concept are rather unfamiliar. Every project the 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center has taken up represents new, unchartered territory. To achieve all their goals, they draw up conclusions on the basis of "Test & Learn." Since they look for the answer through countless experiments and comparisons, they cannot make effective achievements overnight – after all, Rome wasn't built in a day. Therefore, they dream of tomorrow rather than today and seek out immense innovation for everyone, rather than for themselves. To achieve their dream, they patiently and continuously take tentative steps forward.

"I think the most necessary capacity to find out the growth potential on Jeju is patience. This is because the activities we are carrying out now cannot yield achievements rapidly, but they will bring about a slow, but long-lasting innovation. Just as the founder of AMOREPACIFIC turned a plot of barren soil into a green tea filed, I would like to make an achievement that is actually helpful for the future of the community and the company, even if it takes time."
The newly opened 2nd Jeju Creative Economy Innovation Center will begin full-fledged operations from next year. They are working hard to share their innovative experiences as growth partners and make Jeju a permanent foothold for innovation by developing a new model of coexistence. It's time to look forward to their moves that will turn rough, unhewn paths into a broad forum for innovation in the belief that the winds of innovation blown from Jeju will one day reach the global market.