Recently, short and hilarious video clips that were only accessible on an online platform have made an abnormal appearance on television. As such, snack-sized contents are flowing backwards, from minority to majority, changing how people consume and perceive cultural contents. In line with this trend, The Argus met the key figure who paved the path for mobile contents to go mainstream: Sung Chie-hwan, the head of the startup company, 72 SECONDS.

The Argus: Please introduce yourself and 72 SECONDS to The Argus readers.
Sung Chie-hwan (Sung): Hello. My name is Sung Chie-hwan, the head of 72 SECONDS that aims to create fun contents under the motto of “We create fun.” We try not to limit ourselves to the production of motion pictures, but we are oriented to becoming a Creative Contents Group that turns everything into something fun within a few minutes.

The Argus: Why did you found 72 SECONDS?
Sung: Previously, I used to run a Visual & Performing Art Group called ‘In The B’ based on the belief that the world would change when the so-called B-list becomes mainstreamed. It organized projects that included performance, motion picture and music. Although ‘In The B’ achieved recognition from the art world, I had to end it because we could not build a viable business model. The idea of 72 SECONDS did not come to me right after I closed down In The B, but its framework had been completed beforehand. Back in the ‘In The B’ times, we created and uploaded the prototype of ‘72 Seconds’ Season 0 on YouTube without much thought. To our surprise, Naver and CJ E&M contacted us after watching our work. It was after this event that the establishment of 72 SECONDS was discussed positively with our current investor “4:33 Creative Lab,” realizing our initial interests in mobile clip contents.

The Argus: What are the most representative contents of 72 SECONDS?
Sung: I would say there are three most recognized contents. First, “72 Seconds,” bearing the same name as our company, deals with the mediocre life of a mediocre man called “Dorumuk” whose life takes on a different color after meeting the girl of his dreams. Second, “Ohgusil” revolves around the life of a woman in her thirties as she stumbles into a series of events and tries to strike a balance between work, life and love. Last but not the least, “Banana Actually” tells the inside stories of people in love, without an inch of pretense and fabrication, as they are narrated alternatively by males and females in a romantic relationship. All of the mentioned contents entered the broadcasting industry, proving their popularity among people. They were organized as a part of special broadcasting on a comprehensive channel JTBC and were aired one after episode.

The Argus: How are the contents of 72 SECONDS different from other mobile contents?
Sung: Characteristically, most of the our videos convey a story accompanied by background music with a fast beat, narration and swift camera changes between scenes. That they have a constructive narrative structure is similar to other TV dramas, but each episode is produced using different methods. Generally, the script of the drama is constructed first and then the narration or auditory elements are added after filming. In contrast, we put together the music and narration first and then specific verbal lines are scripted accordingly. In terms of production methodology, it could be said that it is in the mid-ground between a drama and a music video. Also, various experiences gained from spending time on performance productions and music videos back in the In The B contributed to our unique identity.

The Argus: What do you think is the most important thing to consider when making mobile clip contents?
Sung: The most important factor in creating contents is how fun it is. However great the direction, music and art are, if the content is not fun then no one will be willing to watch it. Therefore, we endeavor with the utmost intensity and ferocity to determine whether the contents will be enjoyable enough for the viewers before actual production begins. The concerns for its framework and platform are dealt with after the concern for the fun factor is finalized.

The Argus: How do you come up with what to make?
Sung: In 72 SECONDS, everyone is free to share their ideas when planning contents. Every Friday at 3 p.m. we hold a ‘Beer Festival’ in which everyone comes together, reflects on the past week’s activities, and makes plans for the coming week while drinking a glass of beer or two. On this occasion, agendas ranging from the introduction of a new team member, progress reports for an important project and any other announcements may be discussed. Within this weekly event, I set up a special corner ‘Time with Chie-hwan’ where the staff members freely and casually talk with me in an attempt to promote open communication and collaboration. Most of the ideas for our contents actually come from this time as an individual’s small inspiration gradually takes shape through thorough discussion. Then, the idea is reproduced into concrete contents, all of which are produced in advance.

The Argus: How have people responded to your contents, and why do you think you received such comments?
Sung: Fortunately, many people are in favor of the contents we have provided. Recently ‘Banana Actually’ Season 2, for example, accumulated 20 million hits in 18 days. I believe the reason for such a breakthrough is derived from sympathetic contents that people could relate to emotionally. So far, we have shed light upon the overlooked uniqueness within the normality of life, so this change in perspective reflects something unique about ordinary life which is not only familiar but also fresh and fun. In addition, the original direction, music and design that we put together by ourselves altogether resulted in both an entertaining and well-made masterpiece.

The Argus: As a startup company pioneering a new area of mobile contents production, what are some difficulties you have faced?
Sung: Strictly speaking, we are not providers of mobile contents but we did start off with mobile-friendly contents in the market. As for difficulties within the mobile contents market, the weakness is in the revenue model. Since we are playing an active part in the mobile contents market, we are putting our heads together to find ways to produce profit within the field. For example, we have expanded our area of distribution from Korea to worldwide, establishing 14 platforms in China and seeking collaboration with local enterprises.

The Argus: What do you think the limitation of 72 SECONDS is?
Sung: I would not necessarily call it a limitation, but I do think there is room for improvement. I intend to create fun contents that are not limited to any specific platform, but truthfully we are quite dependent on the web, or the online platform. The solution would be to create more fun contents so that a variety of platforms take interest.

The Argus: What plans do you have for the future?
Sung: I will continue to make contents that make people smile and laugh. Right now, we are distributing content only through a web platform, but we seek to expand our platform options by airing our products on public and cable TV channels. Also, we plan to develop a long-term profit model through a more solid IP (Intellectual Property) portfolio based on the reinforcement of characters. Last May, we started to discover some new actors and launched a number of MD merchandise lines, such as OST albums, postcards and eco-bags related to our contents. Furthermore, we organized some offline events like ‘Ohgusil Live in Summer Night’ in which the actress of ‘Ohgusil’ interacted with her fans and the OSTs were played live.

Today, we are blessed with the development of mobile contents that delight us every single second. In reflecting about the interview above, we can see for ourselves the hard work the creators put into each video clip that we so mindlessly take advantage of. Next time we come across a short clip online or offline, let’s remind ourselves of the efforts of those devoted to making a few minutes of our lives worthwhile.

Reporter of Culture Section