The International Monetary Fund projected global real gross domestic product growth of 3.4% for 2027 in the World Economic Outlook it released this month. That is higher than the 3.1% forecast for 2026, but too much uncertainty remains to be optimistic about the world economy. The IMF cited widening geopolitical conflict, a reassessment of expectations around artificial intelligence and fiscal vulnerability as the main downside risks.
The shock could grow larger if AI investment falls short of expectations and asset prices decline as well. In such a scenario, the IMF estimated that the level of global GDP in 2028 could be 1.1 percentage points lower than in the baseline forecast. Amundi, the European asset manager, also pointed to geopolitical tensions, price volatility and fiscal constraints as key variables in its investment outlook for the second half of this year. For global investors, finding investment hubs that offer not only growth potential but also an industrial base and business environment capable of responding to change is becoming more important.
That trend was evident at the recent 2026 Seoul Innovest Summit. With about 120 key domestic and overseas investors in attendance, including foreign limited partners and venture capital firms, the event hosted one-on-one investment consultations and discussions on strategies for entering Korea's capital markets and on global asset management trends. At a time when the ability to connect technology, capital and markets across borders is growing in importance, Seoul is a city where new business opportunities can be explored on the strength of its talent, digital infrastructure and diverse industrial base. The important task now is to translate those strengths into actual corporate growth and investment returns.
One field that demonstrates that potential is K-culture. According to the Korea Creative Content Agency, exports by the domestic content industry reached about $14.9 billion in 2025, up 5.9% from a year earlier. Exports rose in music, film and character goods, among others. The attention that cultural content has won in global markets does not stop at the content itself. It expands into adjacent industries such as beauty, fashion, games, webtoons, platforms and technology services, creating new business opportunities. For global popularity to lead to sustainable industrial growth, however, creative capability alone is not enough. Intellectual property must be protected, overseas distribution networks secured, capital raised to match each stage of growth and entry into local markets made possible. That is why an industrial foundation is needed to link cultural interest to corporate revenue, overseas expansion and follow-on investment.
These tasks apply beyond K-culture to future industries as a whole, including AI, bio, quantum and mobility. For research and development results to be realized as actual products and services and to reach global markets, companies need not only technological capability but also capital suited to their stage of growth, commercialization capacity and opportunities for cooperation with firms at home and abroad. An environment in which companies and investors can identify each other's needs and uncover new business opportunities also matters. Seoul, too, is pursuing policies to create such conditions, expanding cooperation among companies, research institutions and investors around strategic industries while supporting Seoul-based firms in attracting global capital and helping overseas firms enter the city. What matters ultimately is not simply fostering particular industries but connecting technology, capital and markets so that companies grow and those gains spread across the industrial ecosystem.
Heading into 2027, the global economy holds both opportunity and risk. No city can eliminate uncertainty, but every city can prepare the capabilities to respond to change and the foundation for companies to grow. The greater the uncertainty, the more companies look not for rosy forecasts but for confidence that they can run their business without disruption. As that confidence accumulates, corporate revenue and jobs increase. By extending the global attention K-culture has drawn into innovation across industries, and by building an open environment for cooperation and predictable business conditions, the world's attention can be turned into sustainable growth.