Today, we have an exclusive interview with representatives from SMA member company. We have Do-hyun Kim and Ji-Yoon Kim, co-founders of DoT Planner, who organized the Futura Canvas event held at Cave house in Itaewon from September 5 to 7, 2024.

DoT Planner is a Seoul MICE Alliance member that provides MICE services, content development and curation, and media production, creating knowledge networks across various fields. In this interview, they have shared how they have benefited from the MICE support programs offered by Seoul city and the Seoul Tourism Organization. Also the insights of DoT Planner’s and story of hosting Futura Canvas.

Q. Please introduce yourself and Futura Canvas

We are Dohyun(Diana) Kim and Jiyoon(Michelle) Kim, co-founders of DoT Planner, a company on a mission to “create platforms for knowledge networks that drive changes in thinking.” Futura Canvas is a global Art & Tech conference held alongside Frieze and Kiafin September. The event blends various elements, including conferences, art exhibitions, parties, and tours, to create a multidisciplinary experience.

Q. Tell us briefly about the unique features of DoT Planner

We are highly responsive to technology, applying it dynamically to our events. While we could be described as agile, trendy, or flexible, we prefer to highlight our collaboration skills. We obsessively pursue perfection in our partnerships with technology, art, partners, and clients, to the point where some even say that our focus on perfection is what makes our events stand out.

Q. What are the operating points to successfully operate this event?

Our core focus is on people. Although we work in the fields of technology and art, which are often viewed as highly technical or aesthetic, we place people at the center of everything we do. For example, we created the 'Artist Table' session, where artists and the audience could interact directly.

Q. Could you share with us MICE events expected to be held in the near future?

Since 2018, we have hosted the Data Journalism Korea Conference and Awards. Through this event, we have also organized the World Fact-Checking Conference and its online version last year. We consistently gain valuable insights from these events and would like to introduce them as examples of what we aim to achieve.

Q. Please explain the Seoul MICE support program offered by the city government and STO to make this event a success

Our event was selected for the 2023 Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) S-BIC Incubation Support Program. Over the next five years, we will receive funding and consulting to grow the event. Without STO's support, we would not have had the resources or time to pursue an event of this scale, so we are deeply grateful.

Q. What factors contribute to Seoul's appeal as a global MICE destination?

I believe Seoul has grown to the point of becoming a globally recognized brand in itself. The city's unique blend of modern and historical elements, along with its intersection of technology and art, makes it an attractive fusion city that appeals to people worldwide.

Q. What do you expect STO and SMA to do more for moving forward?

Thanks to the support we have received from STO, we have been able to bring many of the ideas we once only imagined to life. We also hope that STO continues to believe in us and support us moving forward.

For more information on SMA Member, 

visit Seoul Convention Bureau official website https://www.miceseoul.com/eng/pgm/smaMng/list.do?menuNo=900017