{"id":24279,"date":"2025-03-07T08:30:01","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T01:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trueblog.info\/blog\/?p=24279"},"modified":"2025-03-11T17:59:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T10:59:10","slug":"truecj-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/en\/truecj-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Thailand Become Asia\u2019s Next Soft Power Giant? The Inspiring Journey of Ari Arijitsatien and True CJ Creations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a world where soft power\u2014the cultural influence a country exerts globally\u2014has become a key driver of economic and social development, countries like South Korea have emerged as leaders, turning K-pop, K-dramas, and K-culture into global phenomena. But what if Thailand could follow in Korea\u2019s footsteps? Could it be the next soft power giant in Asia?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To find out, True Blog spoke to Ari Arijitsatien, the co-CEO of True CJ Creations, just as she was preparing for the launch of \u201cGood Doctor,\u201d the highly anticipated adaptation of Korea\u2019s hit series, which held the number one spot in its timeslot for most of its run.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Under Ari\u2019s leadership, True CJ Creations has made significant strides in the Thai entertainment industry, transforming local content into powerful tools for cultural influence. Ari\u2019s story is one of determination, creativity, and innovation, and it may just be the spark that propels Thailand into the global cultural spotlight.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24276\" src=\"https:\/\/trueblog.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/02_K.Ari--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Soft Power Playbook: How True CJ Creations is Shaping Thai Content<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>True CJ Creations was born from a strategic partnership between Thailand\u2019s True Visions and South Korea\u2019s CJ ENM, a powerhouse in the global entertainment industry. Ari, who took the helm as co-CEO, recalls how the venture began with a clear purpose: to bring the best of Korean media production expertise to Thailand, while fostering a unique Thai creative spirit.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CJ ENM, known for its expertise in both scripted and unscripted content, provided the hard skills\u2014production knowledge, distribution strategies, and content creation systems\u2014that have made K-drama a worldwide success. However, as Ari points out, Thai storytelling required a different touch. \u201cWe\u2019re not just copying and pasting Korean scripts,\u201d she says. \u201cWe adapt, taking inspiration from Korean formats but transforming them to resonate with Thai audiences.\u201d This balance between global expertise and local creativity is the driving force behind True CJ Creations\u2019 success.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The global entertainment landscape is more competitive than ever. Yet, True CJ Creations is determined to carve out a space for Thai storytelling. The company has produced over 21 drama series and 16 variety shows since its inception, contributing to the rise of Thai content across both local and international platforms.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One of the company\u2019s biggest hits to date is \u201cEmergency Couple,\u201d a remake of the popular Korean series, which became the number one most-watched show in Thailand\u2019s OTT platforms. Not only does it reinforce True CJ\u2019s position in domestic market , but also showcased the potential of Thai content to surpass international content. \u201cEmergency Couple was a huge success, topping the viewership charts even against international content among all local and international platforms in Thailand in first half of 2024,\u201d Ari says proudly.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ari\u2019s approach to content is not just about producing hits; it\u2019s about creating stories with purpose. From dramas to unscripted shows like \u201cHidden Gem,\u201d which spotlights Thailand\u2019s rich food culture, True CJ Creations focuses on content that celebrates Thai culture while appealing to a broader audience. \u201cWe shoot everything with purpose,\u201d Ari emphasizes. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about producing hits. It\u2019s about telling stories that matter\u2014whether it\u2019s highlighting Thai cuisine or portraying family values.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-24277\" src=\"https:\/\/trueblog.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/03_K.Ari--scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Vision for Soft Power: Putting Thailand on the Global Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A critical element in True CJ Creations\u2019 success is TrueID, a digital platform that has become a dominant force in distributing Thai content to millions. Ari is quick to acknowledge the platform\u2019s role in elevating the company\u2019s reach. \u201cTrueID is essential,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a platform; it\u2019s our key partner in getting Thai content to as many viewers as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>That reach is critical to Ari\u2019s ambitions for True CJ Creations. She is deeply invested in the idea that Thai content can be a vehicle for soft power, much like K-dramas and K-pop have been for South Korea. \u201cThere is potential for Thai content to be the next big thing,\u201d Ari asserts. \u201cBut to capture that potential, we need to standardize production quality and refine our storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>True CJ Creations is already working on building this infrastructure. The company has implemented a robust producer system, modeled after the Korean approach, which emphasizes not only creativity but also the management of budgets, timelines, and logistics. Ari has been grooming a team of 10 in-house producers, ensuring that they have the skills and knowledge to produce content that meets international standards.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Unique Leadership Style and Vision<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In fact, the training and development of producers are at the heart of Ari\u2019s leadership style. She sees herself as a mentor, guiding her team to not only succeed in individual projects but to contribute to the broader goal of raising the standard of Thai content. Her approach has yielded remarkable results, such as when a former prop store manager, under Ari\u2019s mentorship, produced the highly successful \u201cEmergency Couple.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ari\u2019s leadership has been transformative for True CJ Creations, but she remains humble about her role. \u201cI see myself more as HR than a CEO,\u201d she says, emphasizing her commitment to developing her team and fostering a creative environment where everyone can thrive.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It reflects her extraordinary journey in CP Group for over two decades. She began as a personal assistant to the Vice Chairman of CP Group, later on closely collaborating with top executives and senior leaders of the group in marketing, business partnership and development.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>She then realized successful marketing initiatives that bridged the group\u2019s origins in agriculture and food processing with its content and tech ventures. Her success in connecting a global networking to the Thailand conglomerate was what landed her the role of CEO at True CJ Creations, despite her lack of experience in content production.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was quite intimidating to be in a leadership position in a male-dominated industry with veteran creatives who are used to doing things a certain way. But if you come prepared, if you work hard, you can demonstrate your value to them,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Today, her vision goes well beyond developing her teams. &#8220;Soft power can shift the economy of a country,&#8221; she says, citing South Korea&#8217;s success as an example. &#8220;It can make people believe in your brand and give your country privilege in many ways.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>True CJ Creations, under Ari&#8217;s leadership, is paving the way for Thailand&#8217;s soft power revolution. By creating compelling content that resonates with audiences worldwide, the company is helping to shape a new narrative for Thailand, one that showcases its rich culture, creativity, and storytelling prowess.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a world where soft power\u2014the cultural influence a country exerts globally\u2014has become a key driver of economic and social development, countries like South Korea have emerged as leaders, turning K-pop, K-dramas, and K-culture into global phenomena. But what if Thailand could follow in Korea\u2019s footsteps? Could it be the next soft power giant in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24731,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[147,288],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en","category-the-people-en"],"acf":[],"author_data":{"id":2,"name":"True Blog Team","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/09ce4bad220763db03bedaef2d0f675dea27f54b224f90103bc7d9e8cf43f1c9?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24279"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24734,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24279\/revisions\/24734"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.true.th\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}