NEWS
2026.04.27
【Report】 Creative Systems in Asia: Country Findings and Comparative Perspectives Workshop was held on March 5, 2026!
The workshop “Creative Systems in Asia: Country Findings and Comparative Perspectives” was held on March 5, 2026, at the Hirai Kaichiro Memorial Library Conference Room, Ritsumeikan University. It forms part of the ongoing three-year (2024–2026) research project, Shaping the Future of Creative Careers: Comparative Analysis of CCI Workforces in Asia and the Role of Universities, led by Dr. Shinji Oyama (Professor, College of International Relations) and funded by the Asia-Japan Research Institute (AJI). Building on earlier roundtable discussions, this workshop marked a transition from preliminary mapping toward comparative synthesis, presenting key findings from country reports on Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The event brought together project members and invited discussants to present and reflect on how creative careers are structured across different national contexts, particularly the relationships between higher education, recruitment systems, and labor conditions in cultural and creative industries (CCI). The event was divided into three sessions and moderated by Dr. Joanna Obispo (Senior Researcher, AJI).
Dr. Shinji Oyama delivering his welcome remarks
The event opened with remarks from Dr. Oyama, who outlined the purpose of the workshop as a synthesis-stage discussion following the submission of country reports. He emphasized that the session would focus on key analytical insights rather than detailed national data, and introduced Japan’s masukomi system as a comparative reference point for understanding different education-to-work pathways across Asia.
Session 1: Country Reports
Dr. Oyama and Ms. Karasawa presenting on the Japan case
The first session featured project members and researchers from Ritsumeikan University and the University of Tokyo. They presented selected insights from each country, focusing on institutional arrangements and key tensions shaping creative careers.
Ms. Kim delivering her presentation on South Korea
Across the cases, the presentations highlighted differing configurations of education, recruitment, and industry structures, while pointing to common tensions in how individuals transition into creative work. For the Japan case, Dr. Oyama outlined the structural characteristics of the masukomi gyokai (mass media) system to illustrate a generalist model which places more emphasis on university prestige than degree major and specialist training, while Ms. Nodoka Karasawa (MA student, University of Tokyo) provided particular examples on how internships and recruitment formats are evolving, including the growing use of online processes and new technologies. Ms. Yeeun Kim (MA student, University of Tokyo) highlighted South Korea’s highly specialized university–industry ecosystem underpinning the Korean Wave, where universities function as gatekeepers through problem-based, industry-linked curricula, but graduates still face intense competition and precarious employment. Ms. Jiayi Zhang (PhD candidate, GSIR) presented the China report, focusing on how cultural policy, higher education and recruitment into major media organizations intersect, stressing the demand for graduates who combine technical skills with the ability to work within specific institutional and ideological frameworks.
Ms. Zhang presenting her findings on China
The Southeast Asian cases of Indonesia and the Philippines illustrated how creative industries are being woven into broader development and cultural policy agendas. Describing Indonesia, Ms. Agnes Siwi Purwaning Tyas (PhD student, GSIR) discussed a system where practice-oriented education and internships facilitate relatively smooth transitions into work, though employment is largely contract-based. On the other hand, Dr. Obispo explained the Philippines’ multimodal system of entry into creative work, in which universities provide training and networks but operate alongside informal pathways, portfolios, and project-based recruitment practices.
Ms. Siwi presenting her research on Indonesia
Dr. Obispo presenting her findings on the Philippines
Session 2: Education, Training, and Transitions to Work
The second session shifted from national presentations to a comparative discussion, guided by discussant Prof. Takao Terui, Ph.D. (Lecturer, University of Glasgow), focusing on the role of universities, qualifications, and internships in shaping creative career pathways. Prof. Terui opened the session by raising questions about how “good” universities are defined across different contexts and why higher education, while central, does not necessarily lead to secure career outcomes. The discussion that followed highlighted variations in how institutional prestige, practical skills, and networks are valued in different countries. Participants also examined the role of internships and on-the-job training as mechanisms linking education and employment. These were discussed as functioning differently across contexts – ranging from brief orientation experiences to structured curricular requirements – raising questions about their role as opportunities, filters, or potential sources of inequality. The session further touched on changes in the media and creative industries, including the influence of global platforms and shifting recruitment practices, which are reshaping career pathways for emerging professionals.
Prof. Takao Terui reflecting on universities’ roles in shaping Asia’s creative career pathways
Session 3: Challenges, Precarity, and Structural Tensions
The third session, led by discussant Dr. Changwook Kim (Handong Global University), focused on the broader issue of precarity in creative labor, drawing together insights from the country reports. Dr. Kim opened the discussion by framing precarity as a structural condition in which risks are increasingly borne by individual workers. Participants reflected on how this manifests across different national contexts, with widespread reliance on freelance, project-based, and non-permanent employment. The discussion also highlighted challenges related to the visibility and representation of creative workers, particularly freelancers and non-standard employees who are often underrepresented in official statistics and institutional frameworks. Participants noted that these conditions limit access to protections and reduce collective bargaining power. The role of education was revisited in this context, with participants considering how universities might better prepare students not only with technical skills but also with the knowledge needed to navigate complex labor conditions..
Dr. Changwook Kim outlining cross-country patterns of creative labor precarity
Closing Discussion and Reflections
During the closing session, participants reflected on the comparative insights generated across the workshop. Dr. Oyama emphasized that viewing the country cases together clarified both the diversity of institutional arrangements and the convergence of labor outcomes, particularly the prevalence of precarious and project-based work across different systems. He noted that using the Japanese masukomi gyokai model as a reference point enabled a shift from national description to comparative structural analysis, highlighting the limits of education-led approaches in ensuring stable creative careers. At the same time, he underscored the need to move beyond Western-centric assumptions and develop a more regionally grounded understanding of creative labor based on empirical findings from Asia. The session concluded by identifying next steps for the project, including refining the country reports and advancing comparative publications that build on these shared insights.
Participants synthesizing insights on precarity, education, and creative labor
The workshop provided a structured platform for consolidating findings from the country reports and advancing comparative perspectives on creative careers in Asia. It highlighted the complex interplay between education, recruitment, and labor conditions, while underscoring the structural nature of precarity across different institutional contexts.
Project members, researchers and discussants
The insights generated will inform the revision of the country reports and contribute to the next phase of the research project, including future publications and collaborative research initiatives.
Workshop attendees of the Creative Systems in Asia