Every film has its own reasons to be a box office hit. It is undeniable that a successful movie does necessarily require advanced cinematic qualities, but the reason why advertisements reveal aspects of the film unquestionably plays a significant role in people’s decision-making process. On the apex of the film marketing industry you can find Shin Yoo-kyung (’90, Media Studies), a female president of a film marketing agency, Younghwain.
Founded by Shin in 1999, Younghwain is a renowned company that advertises from 20 to 25 movies annually. Of the eight movies that attracted at least 10 million viewers in Korea, four have been promoted by Shin’s company, including “Taeguki,” “Wang-e-nam-ja (The King and the Clown),” “Haeundae,” and “Avatar.” With these glamorous achievements, Shin is known to have the “Midas Touch” in the field of film marketing.
“Finding a distinct concept is what I consider most important yet also most agonizing when it comes to advertising a film,” Shin said. “It is a key to catching people’s attention in this world of information overload.”
Shin was an enthusiastic lover of films ever since she was very young. She would always cuddle next to her father when he would watch “Weekend’s Masterpiece” at home. Soon it became a program of which she never missed an episode, eventually leading her to love films altogether. Going to a theater to watch movies was Shin’s favorite leisure activity during her middle and high school years. Her passion towards film did not dwindle even after she became a university student.
“I dreamed of working in the field of broadcasting, and that is why I chose to major in Media Studies,” Shin said. “Among all the classes, advertisement was what attracted me the most. It is not too much to say that the field had experienced its renaissance at that time, and that most of the talented people seemed to choose advertisement as their field of concentration.”
After graduation, Shin began her career in a sales promotion team at a department store where she could put into practice the skills studied at school. Later, she developed her career in the field of film marketing by first working as a copywriter for a film company. Each experience was a milestone on the road to founding Younghwain. Although Shin is well known as a female leader, the job has never been easy for her.
“The burden to make a movie a box office hit has always created a lot of pressure for me,” Shin said. “When my marketing strategy fails to draw people’s attention, it is difficult for me to manage the disappointing outcome.”
However, Shin is happy to pursue a career in the field that she has always loved. Every movie that she advertises is special to her, adding another vivid moment to Shin’s life. Of her various works, Shin selects “Erin Brockovich” as one of the most memorable movies that she had advertised.
“The story of a character who never gave up, even at the most desperate moment of her life inspired me,” Shin said. “I learned a lot from her during the process of marketing, and as the movie eventually became successful, it gave me courage.”
Being a female president of the company, Shin is a beloved wife and a dedicated mother at the same time. Even though balancing roles as a mother and a career woman is complicated at times, she believes that it is best for her and the family to understand their circumstances. She exhorts other working mothers not to worry about house matters at work, and vice versa.
“A mother who is full of confidence and has a clear self-identity can raise an honest and happy child,” Shin said. “This is the most fundamental and crucial advantage of being a working mom.”
Shin also commented on the stereotypes that people have toward gender. Until now, she has had no experience of being discriminated against in her career for being a woman. On the contrary, she said that film marketing is a field that can be more favorable to women, as long as one has the will and the capacity to succeed. Shin understands the youth’s concerns and conflicts, especially when they are looking for jobs.
“Try to be a humane and sociable person, rather than an individual specialist,” Shin said. “Always seek your true self and contemplate on the virtue of a successful woman.”