I find myself strangely drawn to people like Min Hee-Jin. Perhaps the investor side of me naturally gravitates towards those who are truly talented yet underrated.
Many argue that Min Hee-Jin isn't underrated, but I believe that real value in the world comes from creators, not financiers or other professionals. After watching Min Hee-Jin's press conference, I realized the longstanding conflict between creators and management. From a management perspective, the focus is on diversifying risk, which means not pouring all resources into a single project as might have been done in the company’s early days. This separation between management and creative becomes more pronounced as a company grows, which is a natural part of scaling up but can lead to conflicts. This is especially true in industries where creativity is crucial, like in film or gaming. If you look into the Crafton way, it vividly describes this intense conflict.
However, I firmly believe that even as a company grows, maintaining its creative soul is crucial. Once finance takes the lead, the company's soul often fades, and customers are usually the first to notice this shift, followed by investors. Larger companies might start to resemble investment firms, focusing on acquiring smaller, soulful companies. For creators who are typically wary of and uncomfortable with capitalist approaches, it's important that they feel valued and not just seen as commodities.