Art meets music and technology becomes fashion as creative minds across ever-broadening fields join hands in search of new inspirations and innovative solutions.

Although crossover projects have been commonplace in the global art and music scene for some time now, collaborations today seem to know no limits, churning out pair-ups that were never imagined before.

In this overarching global trend, Korea is no exception. 

Many local artists, brand marketers and technology firms have been actively scouting for collaboration partners.

Some did hit the jackpot.

“Many of the greatest hits of 2014 have been created through collaboration,” notes Seoul National University professor Kim Nan-do in his book “Consumer Trends in Korea 2015,” coauthored with fellow experts.

In a struggling economy like Korea now, where companies and brands shun risky bets, collaboration is considered a clever, but relatively safe way to try something new, he explains.

Fashion designer Lie Sang-bong said crossover collaboration, which was once considered the exclusive domain for highly experimental artists, is fast spreading beyond art, fashion and culture into the business world. 

“Many companies now think that collaboration with fashion designers is an effective way of injecting a breath of fresh air into existing brands and revamping their image,” he said.

One of the most successful tie-ups in Korea last year was Nonagon, a fashion brand launched jointly by Samsung Group’s fashion unit Cheil Industries and YG Entertainment, a label and talent agency representing major K-pop stars including Big Bang and 2NE1.

Mixing a mass-market and celebrity style, the brand landed in major multi-fashion stores in Asia.

“Meaning of You,” a duet between singers IU and Kim Chang-won, is an example of how collaboration between two unlikely artists can deliver surprising results.

The 21-year-old starlet IU is known for her sweet voice and cute, innocent image. Kim is a folk rock legend who debuted in 1977, but to the younger generation, he is mostly known as an actor.

The song, written and originally sung by Kim, was voted as the best song of 2014 by users of major online music streaming and download websites.

In the ICT industry, business collaboration is not an option. It is a must in order to prepare for the coming era of the Internet of Things, when everything, from beds, watches and clothing to cars is connected to the Internet.

This year’s CES, an international tech show held this week in Las Vegas, was a hotbed of technology-driven collaboration, featuring an array of smarter, hybrid products and services.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)