Korean Job Discussion Forums

[funplanet]

We have all heard the rumours about Disney coming to Seoul...or at least Koreans vision that it will come...my co-workers are all running around talking like it will open next month....

Now, with Disney Tokyo and Disney Hong Kong, does anyone here think that it could feasibly work? Tokyo and HK are major tourist destinations and therefore can support a Disney, but Seoul?????

We have Everland and Seoul Land, which are not exactly big foreign tourist draws but for us here, they suffice....

I still don't think a Disney will draw in the several million tourists needed to sustain it..it's in danger of being built for only the Korean tourists and again, can the numbers sustain it and uphold the Disney reputation???

I am an eternal optimist but I just don't see it happening? Tokyo and HK are enough for this area (maybe a Disney Beijing would make more sense) but I don't see millions getting on a plane to come to Korea just for Disney (except for the hardcore Disney fans)...the tourist numbers for Korea just don't add up...

any thoughts or comments?

[mishlert]

Disneyland Coming to Korea
It has been learned that the U.S. Walt Disney Company, famous for its theme parks and animation, plans to establish an amusement park at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon.

The Seoul metropolitan government said Sunday that in early August, officials from the company��s headquarters and its Seoul office visited Seoul City Hall to discuss its plan, and the Seoul government offered information on geographical features and transportation around the park.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200411/200411070031.html

November 09, 2004
Disneyland Korea?

Apparently The Walt Disney Company feels the Asia market is vastly untapped. Talks have been under way to build a new Disney Themepark in South Korea. With a park in Hong Kong under construction, Two parks in Tokyo, and talks about a park near Shanghai, Disney looks to make their themeparks as ubiquitous as the movie theatre. Still, we get no news about South America or Australia. Hmmm.
http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/tdb/2004/11/disneyland_kore.html

[Bulsajo]

I heard that they're going to completely dismantle Euro-Disney and ship it to Korea, brick by brick. Nobody in France would notice it was missing, and nobody in Korea would notice that it wasn't truly an 'American' product.

[joe_doufu]

I was at an Amcham luncheon featuring the project manager of HK Disneyland last year. As a former Disney Online employee, I keep an interest in what's happening. When asked the obvious question "Where next?", he said they hadn't decided for sure whether it would be Beijing or Shanghai, but definitely they would be opening a park in mainland China around 2010.

I think Hong Kong is really just a practice run for a mainland China venture... it's primarily targeted at mainland tourists.

[just because]

I too don't think Seoul could support one but it does have a crowded population density and Koreans do go ga ga for all things that are western (whether they want to believe it or not - koreans are one of the most franchised countries in the world already) so it could work..

Disney apparently are going to open it in Shanghai..

I think 1 in Hong Kong and Shanghai plus the one in Tokyo, i don't think Korea will see one

[Summer Wine]

[VanIslander]

Typical business expansion.

Disney theme parks as a business is mature, late in its lifecycle. Finding new markets and expanding to smaller markets are typical ways of extending the life cycle of a consumer product (finding new revenue streams to replace the naturally depleting sales, on the sloping 'S' curve).

Marketing 101.

[mindmetoo]

[Bulsajo]

[joe_doufu]

[joe_doufu]