​1. Study Objectives and Methods

○ Rural villages are facing numerous challenges, such as an aging population, population decline, inadequate infrastructure, and many others, which have resulted in a decreased quality of life for residents, a shortage of social capital, and a decline in community vitality. Despite the efforts of the government and local administration to improve living conditions and attract urban residents to rural areas, their effects remain limited.

○ Recently, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of utilizing human resources to drive regional revitalization. This study focuses on these human resources and aims to identify individuals or organizations that use the values and resources of rural villages in innovative ways to create content and socioeconomic value as rural creators.

○ Furthermore, this study demonstrates the steps for setting up a foundation that nurtures and supports the ongoing work of rural creators in revitalizing rural communities.

○ We conducted a literature review, reviewed policy trends, analyzed domestic and international case studies, and consulted with experts to develop a model for cultivating rural creators.

2. Conclusion and Policy Suggestion

○ Rural creators play a crucial role in serving as local explorers who identify and understand regional issues, local excavators who uncover hidden assets and values, local innovators who generate new culture and content, and local educators who discover and cultivate new drivers of regional revitalization.

○ In order to foster and sustain their roles, it is necessary to 1) cultivate rural creators with regional characteristics, 2) create an environment that supports their creativity and expertise, 3) enhance the foundation for their stable and sustainable activities, and 4) establish a foundation to strengthen the openness and dynamism of the creator ecosystem.

○ A specialized organization that manages rural creator training and administration is needed, as is a local agency that manages their on-site training and activities. On-site education and training are crucial for enhancing the local identity, expertise, and creativity of rural creators. An open and flexible educational institution is required to educate and nurture rural creators, and the process of discovering new content and business models through a rural creator's unique perspective and vision should be a key aspect of the curriculum.

○ The activities of rural creators aim to provide services and businesses that meet the needs of a community and its residents, thereby improving their satisfaction and quality of life. An environment should be established where they can actively participate and collaborate in the development and activities of rural creators. This will give them the opportunity to grow as partners with rural creators and become agents of regional revitalization.​