On August 13, it was announced that seven institutional investors, including Stonebridge Ventures, have completed a Series A investment round of 18 billion KRW in entertainment tech company Bigk. With this, Bigk's total accumulated funding has reached 33 billion KRW, securing ample resources to aggressively expand its global entertech platform business.
Bigk operates the world's first 'All-in-one Digital Venue' platform, which connects artists with fans around the globe. Focusing primarily on K-pop and culture concerts, the platform integrates core services for online monetization of performances and artist IP, including ticket reservations, AI-based live streaming, fan interaction services, video OTT, global commerce, and fan data analytics. Its greatest strengths lie in its unique live technology powered by AI and its ability to analyze fandom data from over 200 countries.
To date, Bigk has formed partnerships with approximately 130 teams, including leading domestic media companies, K-pop musicians, and K-artists. More recently, it has expanded its categories to include J-pop, world top artists, and festival IPs, fueling its ongoing growth.
As a result, within just two years of launching its service, Bigk is now available in 224 countries, with cumulative membership registrations surpassing 1.1 million. About 80% of these users are international, driving continued global expansion centered on Japan, Greater China, and North America. Notably, the company has achieved an exceptionally rapid growth rate in both global fandom size and revenue. This year, the number of Bigk membership users increased 13-fold compared to the same period last year, while average revenue grew approximately fivefold. Over the past six consecutive quarters, the company has recorded an average quarterly growth rate of 48%.
The large-scale Series A round, totaling 18 billion KRW and launched in April this year, was led by Stonebridge Ventures and BonAngels Venture Partners. Nexttrans, Now IB Capital, Hana Ventures, IBK, and Alois Ventures also participated, completing the round.
Lee Jonghyun, Managing Director at Stonebridge Ventures, emphasized, "In the K-entertainment market, which continues to experience explosive global growth, Bigk's 'All-in-one Digital Venue' will go beyond being a simple platform to become the next-generation entertech standard that breaks down the boundaries between offline and online. I am confident that this investment will be a turning point that reshapes the global market landscape."
Lee Sooheon, Partner at BonAngels Partners, who has accompanied Bigk since its founding, said, "I have witnessed the Bigk team continuously challenge their limits and make them a reality. The overwhelming speed of growth and global scalability achieved in such a short time is extremely rare, and I look forward to their future moves on the global stage."
Meanwhile, according to Grand View Research, the global live performance market is projected to grow from $40 billion in 2020 to $140 billion (approximately 194 trillion KRW) by 2030. Additionally, the share of online performances is expected to rise from 11.2% in 2024 to 35% by 2030. In response, Bigk envisions leading digital innovation in the global entertainment industry, which has traditionally been offline-centric, by connecting online and offline through its 'All-in-one Digital Venue' products.
Kim Mihui, CEO of Bigk, stated, "This investment is more than just a funding milestone; it marks the starting point for realizing Bigk's vision to become the 'No.1 Global Entertech' company connecting artists and fans worldwide." She added, "With our unique technology and products, we will redefine the global fandom experience, taking K-pop and beyond to the world stage." She also expressed gratitude to the investors who resonated with the founding team's challenges and offered support, vowing to set new standards for digital innovation in the global entertainment market.
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