Saehan Startup Investment CEO Park Yeon-chae: Revolutionizing Venture Capital with Diversification into Entertainment and Pet Industries

“Producer Teddy, who created The Black Label, and PD Kim Tae-ho, who founded content production company Theo, have similar personalities. “The global mindset as well as the pursuit of real entertainment fits perfectly with our company. “

Park Yeon-chae, CEO of Saehan Startup Investment, said in an interview with Maekyung.com held at Saehan Startup Investment’s headquarters in Gangnam, Seoul on the 18th, “After initially focusing on information technology (IT) services and leaving a game company (investment). revival), we have recently moved into the entertainment and pet industries “We will diversify our inventory,” he said.

In particular, he sees the growth potential of the entertainment industry as high, saying, “Competition has become too strong in IT services and games,” adding, “Entertainment is just starting, and the Korean Wave will expand, including K-pop overseas over the next 10 years.”

Saehan Investment Corporation has expanded its investment field into the entertainment field by participating as an early investor in the Black Label and production company Theo from 2021. CEO Park explained, “It has the potential the Black Label can become a global entertainment company if managed well,” and added, “I think Teddy has influence because he produces records for Big Bang and 2NE1.”

Saehan Investment, founded in 1989, is Korea’s first venture capital (VC) and is known as a ‘quiet powerhouse’ in the venture investment market. He, who rose to a leadership role on the first, is a ‘conventional securities man’ with around 30 years of experience in the security industry.

It is unusual for a securities person to be the head of a VC industry. He seems to have been highly respected for his knowledge and experience in research and institutional sales. CEO Park said, “Until now, we have collected and invested mostly from individual investors, so there is almost no money from institutional investors,” and he promised, “We will focus on institutional LPs and we will develop into an equity venture company.”

CEO Park became famous as a ‘long-term research center director’ who led Kiwoom Securities’ research center for 11 years. He joined Hanil Investment Trust in 1989 as the first public employer, worked at Merrill Lynch Korea in 1995, Hannuri Securities in 2003, and joined as the first head of the research center in 2006. Since 2017, he has been in charge of the Sales and Marketing (S&T) department, and was promoted to vice president in 2020.

The venture capital market is in a weak state due to prolonged high interest rates. He said, “If the interest rate falls in the second half of this year, the virtuous cycle of funds will occur in the first half of next year. “” he confirmed.

Saehan Investment is an investment company that originally found global game companies such as Krafton and Roblox, as well as Coupang and Woowa Brothers (Baedal Minjok). A total of 18 funds are currently operating, and the volume of assets under management (AUM) is approximately 450 billion won.

The area of ​​investment that CEO Park has recently focused on is the companion animal industry. He said, “There is a lot of interest in companion animals in our country, but there are very few companies associated with them.” He said, “As the companion animal market is growing globally and has unlimited potential, we are at the point of looking into it.”

Saehan Investment is also involved in investing in Viva Republica (Toss). His analysis is that the sooner Toss starts its IPO, the sooner it will be helpful in gaining competitiveness. This is because it is important to work after obtaining capital.

High expectations for Toss list were also revealed. He said, “The bank also uses a unique approach, and looking at the passion of its members, there is a lot of potential,” and added, “Toss has a strong experimental spirit to challenge areas that are not was tried in Korea. before, so the existing financial institutions must be worried. “