Prime Minister Kim Visits HYBE: "Democracy Is the Root of the Korean Wave... BTS's Gwanghwamun Comeback Is Deeply Meaningful"

Inspecting Production Sites, Pledging to Build an Ecosystem for Creative Focus
Praise for "Lightstick Culture"... "'Arirang' Comeback Signals a New Leap for K-pop"
Fostering the K-Content Industry as a Core Future Growth Engine for the Nation

Prime Minister Kim Minseok is visiting the HYBE headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 21st, inspecting the promotional booth. Photo by Yonhap News

The government is stepping up its policy initiatives to foster the cultural content industry as a future national growth engine. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on January 22, Prime Minister Kim Minseok visited the HYBE headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul the previous afternoon to inspect the K-pop production infrastructure. This visit followed trips to Nexon on January 15 and CJ ENM on January 16, and was organized to reaffirm the global status of the K-content industry and demonstrate the government's commitment to its development.

On this day, Prime Minister Kim toured production facilities such as the choreography practice studio, listening room, and recording studio, checking the process of completing K-pop content. In the practice studio, he met and encouraged the members of the group Enhypen. At the subsequent town hall meeting, he engaged in informal conversations with young workers at HYBE. The participants addressed him as "Minseok" instead of "Prime Minister" and proposed various issues, including strategies for expanding intellectual property (IP) and improving the production environment.

During the event, Prime Minister Kim referenced the "light stick culture" that illuminated Gwanghwamun Square during the 12·3 Martial Law, emphasizing the connection between democracy and the Korean Wave (Hallyu). He stated, "Freedom is the root of our history, and it is because we have protected it that the Korean Wave exists today," adding, "It is highly meaningful for BTS to hold their comeback stage at Gwanghwamun Square, which was safeguarded with light sticks." He also recalled scenes where many artists comforted citizens at rallies in front of the National Assembly in the past, sharing an anecdote about President Lee Jaemyung praising the beauty of light sticks at the time.

The government will expand policy support with a focus on "people" as the core of the K-pop ecosystem. Prime Minister Kim pledged to improve the production environment so that creators can devote themselves solely to their creative work and to consider fostering young talent. He also expressed his intention to personally oversee the detailed tasks of the "K-pop Global Expansion Plan" currently under discussion at the Public Culture Exchange Committee.

Prime Minister Kim Minseok is taking a selfie with Enhypen during his visit to the HYBE headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News

The upcoming release of BTS's fifth full-length album "Arirang," scheduled for March 20, has also attracted attention from foreign media. The American business magazine Forbes analyzed that "the album title is a deliberate choice taken from a folk song that embodies Korean identity, signifying the group's return to its roots after a hiatus." Forbes also explained in detail that "Arirang" is a folk song with about 3,600 variations and over 60 versions, and was inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012. The new album, the first full-group release in about three years and nine months since June 2022, will feature a total of 14 tracks.

The Cultural Heritage Administration has conditionally approved BTS's application to use a cultural heritage site for a free concert at Gwanghwamun Square. The performance will be staged as a "fusion of K-Heritage and K-pop," including scenes of BTS's entrance from Gyeongbokgung Palace to Gwanghwamun, a live broadcast of the parade on the Woldae, and a media facade on the palace walls. The concert will be streamed live via an online video service (OTT) to 190 countries worldwide, with real-time viewership expected to reach 50 million. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the police are preparing safety measures for large crowds, referencing the case of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

BTS will embark on a world tour starting at Goyang Sports Complex on April 9, performing 79 shows in 34 cities around the world and continuing to lead the global K-pop movement. This marks the highest number of shows for a single K-pop artist tour and will feature a 360-degree stage. Other HYBE artists, including Seventeen, Le Sserafim, Cat's Eye, and ILLIT, are also achieving success in global markets, driving the industry's advancement.

Prime Minister Kim emphasized, "With BTS's comeback this year, K-pop will once again astonish the world amid this wave of progress. The government will spare no effort in providing robust support as a reliable partner for innovation in the industry."