Nabil Luqman

0f9d2dd4f71434084e2b6094de1865e23abb37bb9f28ca51feeabee679ec9be2

Money

culture

Johor

Korea

Invesment

Forest City

K-Culture

global destination

In Malaysia, numerous projects are underway across the country, often prompting us to question whether they are destined for success or failure.
Take the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), for example&mdash;while it has garnered both praise and criticism from Malaysians, it is undeniably making progress despite its controversial past. On the other hand, the Forest City mega development in Johor has faced significant challenges, earning the unfortunate reputation of being Malaysia&rsquo;s "ghost town" due to its sparse population.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/80a364f1b229221f7539bfffc7b6c4e8d8b4344b998b6d44cb41239bd3209304" />
Previously, Bloomberg reported speculation about a casino opening in Forest City, which led to an 8.8% surge in Berjaya Corporation&rsquo;s stocks. However, in response to these claims, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim dismissed the idea, denying any government intention to issue a casino license as a means to revitalise Forest City.
Read: <a href="https://myc.my/articles/3449/anwar-ibrahim-refutes-bloombergs-claims-of-a-casino-opening-in-forest-city">Anwar Ibrahim Refutes Bloomberg&rsquo;s Claims Of A Casino Opening In Forest City</a> 
Forest City To Turn Into Malaysia&rsquo;s First K-Culture Town
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/942c614385976bad5cdb30111713f5084ff51f9a1aad6551cc70e7c22a1037cd" />
Korean investment firm GG56 Korea Ltd is set to invest a substantial US$1 billion (RM4.37 billion) in the ambitious Forest City project to establish Malaysia&rsquo;s first Korean Culture (K-Culture) Town. This development is spearheaded by Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV), the master developer of Forest City, which has recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with GG56 Korea to bring this vision to life.
The K-Culture Town will encompass K-content production studios, an international cultural district, and world-class residential developments, marking a significant milestone in Forest City&rsquo;s evolution as a global hub for innovation, culture, and sustainable growth. CGPV executive director Datuk Md Othman Yusof highlighted the importance of this partnership, stating that the MoA not only formalises their collaboration but also embodies a shared vision for the future of Forest City.
&ldquo;This MoA represents more than just a formal agreement; it signifies our collective commitment to building a city that exemplifies innovation, culture, and sustainable development. We are excited to work with GG56 Korea to bring these transformative projects to fruition,&rdquo; said Othman during the signing ceremony.
The agreement was signed by Othman on behalf of CGPV, while GG56 Korea was represented by its CEO and co-founder Kim Young Kun, alongside Chung Dong Wan, chairman of CMK Consortium, a subsidiary of GG56 Korea.
Kim expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, noting that the agreement offers a unique opportunity for GG56 Korea to contribute to the growth of Forest City and to position it as a premier global destination.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/a62a50c30f564bf762ea9b3ab60c761ecce25d93c0bbbd97033c468c3b9356dd" />
Forest City, located in Johor Bahru, is envisioned as a smart, green, and sustainable urban development that integrates residential, commercial, and industrial spaces with advanced technology and infrastructure. GG56 Korea&rsquo;s investment aligns with its focus on high-impact projects in healthcare, entertainment, technology, and real estate, further enhancing the city&rsquo;s potential as a leading destination on the global stage.
Netizens Reaction To The New Investment 
As netizens scrolled through social media, many voiced scepticism about the investment, noting similarities to past initiatives, particularly those also based in Johor. Some pointed to China&rsquo;s setbacks in similar ventures and questioned the focus on promoting Korean culture when Malaysia&rsquo;s own cultural heritage is not receiving sufficient attention.
Given Forest City&rsquo;s current state of near abandonment&mdash;evident in numerous videos showing its emptiness&mdash;many netizens argue that it should remain as it is, believing that the only real beneficiaries are the developers.
Here&rsquo;s some of the comments:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Soo.. we gonna Little Korea soon?
&mdash; Rizal 🍉🇲🇾 (@rizale_dahalan) <a href="https://twitter.com/rizale_dahalan/status/1826203605164302715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
🤦🤦🤦🤦 suka agungkan culture negara luar. oh malaysian. But yeah, i guess for economy ?
&mdash; hanayorinamja (@hanayorinamja) <a href="https://twitter.com/hanayorinamja/status/1826231824194179494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Eratkan perhubungan, wujudkan persefahaman, make profit together
&mdash; мөс (@krameroflight) <a href="https://twitter.com/krameroflight/status/1826204984784162939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
just what we need, promotion of other nation's culture when our own culture, except for one, is never promoted enough. but for a price of one billion lets forget about the rest. pendakwah kpop will hate me always.
&mdash; reta ardo (@RetaArdo) <a href="https://twitter.com/RetaArdo/status/1826412827357131000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
why do we ever need this? another forest city in the making. baik promosikan culture sendiri daripada culture luar
&mdash; MisRon (@misron_) <a href="https://twitter.com/misron_/status/1826218330602242168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With this significant new investment flowing into Forest City, could we be witnessing the true revitalisation of the area? While it's difficult to predict with certainty, there's certainly reason to be optimistic about its future. Changes might not be immediate, but the long-term impact could be transformative.
As for the introduction of K-Culture, leveraging one of the world's most influential cultural phenomena to promote Forest City is a strategic move. However, as with any promising development, only time will reveal the full extent of its success.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media &amp; various cross-references for context.
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Netizens question the focus on promoting foreign culture when our own remains underrepresented.

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Forest City To Become Malaysia’s First K-Culture Town With New RM4.67 Billion Investment

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Rohto

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Forest City To Become Malaysia’s First K-Culture Town With New RM4.67 Billion Investment

Netizens question the focus on promoting foreign culture when our own remains underrepresented.

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