[K-Pop Expansion①] Not a Dance Group... 'Post BTS' First Picked Overseas

Korea Creative Content Agency's 'Seoul International Music Fair' 11th Year, Korea's Only Music Business Market
Inviting Overseas Management and Agencies... Supporting Domestic Musicians' Overseas Expansion
Beneficiaries Include Jambinai, Idiotape, Se So Neon, 40 Rock, Electronic, and Punk Teams Participating This Year
Not Just a One-Time Event, Also Holding Showcases Abroad to Explore New Paths

"I thought she was singing overseas."

This was the impression of singer J.Yuna, who performed at the Nodeul Island Live House in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 20th. There were that many foreigners in the audience. Each one stared intently at the stage. They were overseas music industry figures such as Tom Windish, CEO of Windish Music Business who led pop star Billie Eilish’s world tour, and Tricia Arnold, Vice President of Orchard who distributed singer CL’s music to the global market. They mingled closely and exchanged opinions.

The hot topic was undoubtedly K-pop. But it wasn’t about idols like BTS or BLACKPINK. They talked about rock, electronic, and punk groups that hardly receive attention domestically. They carefully examined musical styles and popularity to explore the potential for success outside Korea. The K-pop expansion that the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) intended by organizing the Seoul International Music Fair (MU:CON) was becoming visible.

MU:CON is the only music business market in Korea, now in its 11th year. It invites overseas management, festival directors, booking agents, PR agencies, and others to encourage Korean musicians to enter foreign markets. This year, about 300 overseas music industry representatives at the executive level participated. They greeted musicians who shone in showcases offstage and exchanged contact information.

Choi Seung-yeon, manager of the Music and Fashion Industry Team at KOCCA, said, "We provide global expansion opportunities to small and medium-sized agencies, labels, and independent musicians with limited networking capabilities. Not only do we introduce our musicians, but we also support business costs such as airfare when overseas projects are realized."

About 700 music acts have participated in MU:CON showcases up to last year. Representative success stories include ‘Jambinai,’ ‘Idioteque,’ and ‘Say Sue Me.’ Jambinai is a band that delivers heavy metal and post-rock based on traditional Korean music. Kim Hyung-gun, CEO of The Tell Tale Heart, recalled, "We participated in the MU:CON showcase four times since 2013. Meeting Steve Lillywhite and others allowed us to enter North America’s largest music festival South by Southwest (SXSW) and Australia’s WOMADelaide." Lillywhite is a world-renowned producer who has produced albums for U2, The Rolling Stones, Simple Minds, and has won five Grammy Awards.

Kim said, "I experienced a chain reaction of meeting other music industry figures overseas and receiving new concert proposals. We have held more than 50 overseas performances annually, were selected in NPR’s Music ‘Top 100’ in 2016, and performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics," he recounted.

Idioteque is an electronic band formed in 2008. Choi Hak-song, director of Duruduru Artists, said, "We first participated in the MU:CON showcase in 2013 and started a U.S. tour (Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles) beginning with SXSW the following year." He explained, "We also first connected with current booking agent Jerome Williams at the 2014 MU:CON showcase. Thanks to that, we were able to perform on various stages such as Singapore Music Matters, Vietnam Monsoon Music Festival, Germany Reeperbahn Festival, and Spain La Merc? BAM."

Say Sue Me is a four-member indie rock band from Busan. Kim Min-gyu, CEO of Electric Muse who managed them, said, "Thanks to the MU:CON showcases in 2018 and 2019, they had opportunities to participate in Japan’s Fujino Festival and others. They also appeared on ‘Live’ at KEXP, a Seattle radio station beloved by global music fans, greatly increasing their recognition."

Thanks to their active activities, overseas music industry figures no longer define K-pop as just dance music. Vice President Arnold said, "K-pop represents all Korean popular music. Musicians of various genres have created new demand overseas through performances, interviews, and TV and radio appearances."

This year’s showcase featured forty musicians ready to take the baton. Among them were J.Yuna, Gaho, Grizzly, Davdah, Dongyang High Frequency, Rakuna, Seol, So:ie, Esna, Woo Jin-young, Im Geum-bi, and Lee Sang’s Wings. The most anticipated musician is Gaho. The drama ‘Itaewon Class,’ which includes his hit song ‘Start,’ ranked first in viewing time on Japan’s Netflix and other platforms. As the song became widely known, overseas music industry figures showered him with love calls.

Park Dae-won, head of PR at his agency Innext Trend, said, "When ‘Itaewon Class’ gained global popularity, COVID-19 spread, making it impossible to hold proper concerts domestically or abroad. We hope to use the MU:CON showcase as a stepping stone for a new leap." He added, "Thanks to being selected for YouTube’s ‘Artists on the Rise’ last year alongside aespa, many industry figures have taken note of his global growth potential. Starting with Japan’s Nippon TV in December, we plan to accelerate overseas activities."

J.Yuna, who also received considerable attention, is planning concerts in Japan and South America. She said, "With platforms like YouTube breaking down national barriers, people on the other side of the globe knew my songs. I want to quickly experience the interest and enthusiasm that cannot be felt online in person."

Overseas performances do not guarantee a rosy future. They may fail to meet expectations or remain one-off events. To settle into the overseas music ecosystem and expand business, concrete plans and step-by-step processes are required.

To ease musicians’ concerns, KOCCA creates stages under the title ‘Korea Spotlight’ at The Great Escape (TGE) in the UK, SXSW, and Germany’s Reeperbahn Festival. Next month, for the first time, it will hold a showcase in Tokyo, Japan, inviting local music industry figures.

Manager Choi said, "We aim to develop ‘Korea Spotlight’ and MU:CON into a powerful brand that introduces Korean musicians to the global music industry. We plan to establish a solid network with various overseas music events and related organizations to prepare diverse global expansion programs."