This video documents the lecture “”On the Edge of Escape: The Mediascape Created by Contents Lab Vivo”” delivered by cultural researcher Hyekyong Sim on October 16, 2021, as part of the Guide to Popular Media at the 11th Seoul Mediacity Biennale.
The lecture explored the diverse forms of pleasure presented in alternative entertainment programs by examining the trajectory of Contents Lab VIVO, a media company founded by comedian Song Eun-i. Beginning as a last resort for female entertainers who found themselves marginalized within the mainstream industry, Contents Lab Vivo employed various media strategies to navigate the shifting entertainment landscape. Shim analyzed the company’s strategic use of multiple platforms, the orientation of its major contents, and how its “escapist” approach both reflected and responded to the rapidly changing media environment, turning spaces of crisis into opportunities.
Building upon the case of Contents Lab Vivo, the lecture further discussed the competition and coexistence between emerging and traditional platforms, the challenges and complexities arising when content transitions from the margins to the mainstream, and the broader social implications of women-centered media productions.
