> Is NERONEROTOWN your first independently developed IP?

Yes, it is our first original content. Since 2020, we have been running various talent development projects

with high schools, universities, and the city of Seoul. While we had previously focused only on

productions and illustrations tailored to the needs of Japanese partners, we became interested in genres

and styles preferred by younger audiences. At that time, we were conceptualizing a project targeted at

late teens and young adults starting their careers. We thought it would be great to create something

they could excel at, especially since many of them preferred SD-type characters over traditional

animation. Since we could create animations at any time, we decided to start with characters to build

awareness.

Nero Nero Town is a place where characters with their own stories come together, learn to understand

and help one another, and grow together. Through their journey of offering hope and courage to each

other, they discover their inner selves and develop further. The story aims to portray this process

warmly and sincerely.

> What features will appeal to the target audience?

Each of the seven characters has a different affliction, reflecting problems that people in their teens and

twenties frequently encounter at home, school, or work. Through the theme of dealing with these

affections, we hope that audiences will see these characters as someone who share similar struggles,

developing empathy and connection by supporting their growth and healing.

The charm of Nero Nero Town lies in its ability to go beyond simple cuteness. These characters share

relatable pain, and audiences will naturally root for their journey of healing and growth. For now, we

plan to focus on raising awareness through Instagram webcomics and short-form videos featuring Supi,

Puck, and Tricks. We deliberately avoid giving overly detailed explanations to highlight each character's

story and individuality.

> How do you plan to promote it?

Since this is our first character business and requires continuous investment, we are approaching it

carefully. However, we aim to deviate from traditional licensing methods and do things differently. As a

professional animation studio, we have many global partners, and we intend to utilize their networks

effectively.

While we could participate in various exhibitions independently, it takes considerable time and effort to

finalize contracts. Therefore, we determined it is far more efficient to promote our IP through our

partners' networks. For example, after sharing IP-related materials with partners in Canada, Japan, and

China, we received proposals for animation production and game development. In fact, we are currently

in discussions with Bilibili in China about producing an animated series.

If our partnerships for next year solidify, our business model will diversify even further.

> The business environment is changing rapidly. How will you overcome these challenges?

As mentioned earlier, we plan to actively utilize the networking business with our global partners. We

will produce a significant amount of social media content that can be easily and quickly consumed,

such as YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

Additionally, we are leveraging not only 2D but also 3D and AI-based technologies to create efficient and

creative outputs, so we hope audiences will look forward to it. We are also planning a variety of

merchandise tailored to audiences in their teens and twenties, including figures, plush keyrings, and more.

We have a branch in Japan, so we will benchmark local information, collaborate with distribution markets,

and generate synergies by focusing on what each party does best. We actually have several IPs in

preparation, so we plan to remain agile, adapting quickly to the market without delaying our strategies.

Jang Jin-gu | I Love Character | master@ilovecharacter.com