Tag: jungjoo park

Check Out SEVENTEEN and Spotify’s CARAT Station Pop-ups in Seoul and New York City

October 28, 2024

Since bursting onto the K-Pop scene in 2015, SEVENTEEN has transcended to global superstardom. Today, more than 30 million user-generated playlists on Spotify feature at least one track from the group. To amp up the excitement for their [RIGHT HERE] world tour, which kicked off in South Korea earlier this month, Spotify has teamed up with SEVENTEEN to bring fans the ultimate pre-concert experience.

From playlist curation to outfit planning, we know the lead-up to a concert is when fan anticipation is at its highest. In honor of SEVENTEEN’s fandom, known as CARATs, Spotify is building exclusive pop-ups ahead of live shows in Seoul, New York City, and Tokyo, where visitors can explore a fantastical train station dedicated to the K-Pop superstars.

“At Spotify, we are committed to supporting Korean artists and enhancing their connections with listeners,” said Jungjoo Park, Head of Music at Spotify Korea. “Our collaboration with SEVENTEEN to bring fans CARAT Station exemplifies our dedication through the creation of unique experiences that celebrate their artistry and special bonds with CARATs.”

Our first stop was Seoul in early October. This past weekend, we brought CARAT Station to New York City. Fans in Tokyo, stay tuned—CARAT Station is heading your way next!

“Spotify’s Music teams in Korea, the U.S., and Japan worked in lockstep to create unique events in each city that feel both authentic to that particular place and connected to the larger CARAT fandom. That’s why you’ll see common threads throughout each experience, but unique elements as well,” said Lucy Davidson, Lead Label Partnerships at Spotify. “When we build an experience in partnership with an artist, we aim not only to bring fans further into their creative world but also to offer something one-of-a-kind that only Spotify can.”

Relive our CARAT Station experiences and see photos from each city below.

CARAT Station Seoul

From October 5 through 11, CARATs in Seoul were invited to step inside the whimsical world of SEVENTEEN. Visitors brought amazing energy as they explored the metro station-themed pop-up in the city’s Gwangjin District, including special photo ops, exclusive merch, and surprise fan chant sessions.

“The subway-themed space displaying our fan chant guide videos left the biggest impression on us,” said SEVENTEEN. “The entire CARAT Station was beautifully decorated and filled with various fun elements that we believe made the time here truly enjoyable. We’re excited for even more visitors to experience this treat. Please have lots of fun and enjoy CARAT Station!”

RADAR Korea Invites Fans Inside the Vibrant World of RIIZE in Honor of the K-Pop Group’s First Mini Album, ‘RIIZING’

June 26, 2024

Since 2020, RADAR has served as Spotify’s program to spotlight rising talent from around the world, supporting emerging artists on their journeys to global stardom. In South Korea, RADAR has elevated the country’s best and brightest, helping groups like LE SSERAFIM and NMIXX catapult their careers and connect with new fans near and far.

That couldn’t be more true for RIIZE, the newest RADAR Korea artist and the first K-Pop boy group to be part of the program. RIIZE burst onto the scene in 2023 with the catchy pop single “Get A Guitar” and has been steadily climbing the K-Pop ranks ever since.

Since joining RADAR Korea in April, RIIZE has received Spotify support through special editorial placement, a personalized marketing plan, and more. Prominent features on our RADAR Korea playlist and exclusive social media content have helped RIIZE expand its reach and foster deeper connections with listeners. In just two months, the group has seen a more than 40% increase in monthly streams, a 13% boost in monthly listeners, and a 12% increase in user-generated playlists that include at least one RIIZE track.

To date, RIIZE has amassed more than 210 million Spotify streams and currently boasts nearly 4 million monthly listeners. Its music is traveling the globe, transcending language and cultural boundaries as it reaches listeners in Japan, Indonesia, the U.S., and beyond.

K-Hip-Hop’s Biggest Names Take Center Stage on ‘KrOWN X HAN 2024’

April 23, 2024

This month marked the return of Spotify’s HAN, our collaborative program that brings the unique sounds and culture of Korean hip-hop to the world through exclusive artist collaborations, bonus content, and more. 

Developed in partnership with Korean hip-hop community HIPHOPPLAYA, HAN references the complex Korean emotion of the same name—an indescribable blend of resentment, sorrow, bitterness, anger, and sadness. Arising from the historical and cultural experiences collectively shared by Koreans, it’s a feeling that serves as creative inspiration for the artists involved.

For this year’s iteration, dubbed KrOWN X HAN 2024, some of the biggest names in the K-hip-hop scene joined up in the studio to record a pair of new Spotify Singles.

The first single, “No Tomorrow,” offers a diverse blend of styles from CHANGMO, Dok2, lobonabeat!, Shyboiitobii, and SMUGGLERS while delivering a message that resonates not only in Korea, but worldwide. 

“Thanks to Spotify, I had the chance to collaborate with incredible artists I’ve admired for a long time, crafting this new track,” said CHANGMO. “I hope that the positive energy created from this collaboration reaches beyond Korea, introducing Korean hip-hop to listeners worldwide.”

The second single, “Ugly,” is a collaboration between Lil Moshpit, Paul Blanco, and Okasian  featuring a minimalist beat produced by Lil Moshpit, who took home Hip-Hop Album Of The Year at the Korean Hip-Hop Awards 2023. The artists’ rhymes complement the track, adding to its playful sound. 

“I am honored to contribute to KrOWN X HAN 2024,” said Lil Moshpit. “Collaborating with artists of unique styles was truly exciting. I believe this initiative will not only revitalize Korean hip-hop globally but also forge deeper connections with fans worldwide through our music.”

Take a deeper dive into K-hip-hop

Following the release of both songs, each participating artist selected five songs to be featured on our flagship K-hip-hop playlist, KrOWN, creating a stronger connection with fans and showing off their personal tastes.

Additionally, through Spotify clips on KrOWN and HIPHOPPLAYA’s official YouTube channel, listeners can discover behind-the-scenes footage, live performances, and stories that detail the creation of both songs.

“We are committed to giving Korean artists a platform for their music to reach listeners across the globe,” said Jungjoo Park, Spotify’s Head of Music, South Korea. KrOWN X HAN 2024 marks the continuation of our chapter in celebrating the voices and talent of Korean hip-hop, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with HIPHOPPLAYA to bring this to life.”

HAN, IRL

Spotify will also serve as an official sponsor of the HIPHOPPLAYA Festival 2024, Korea’s largest hip-hop festival. Taking place on May 4 and 5 at Nanji Hangang Park in Seoul, the festival will feature special performances from a number of artists involved with KrOWN X HAN 2024, including CHANGMO and Shyboiitobii.

“We are excited to collaborate with Spotify towards the renaissance of Korean hip-hop and to partake in the journey of bringing more Korean artists and music to the world,” said Yongjun Kim, Founder and CEO of HIPHOPPLAYA. “We hope that Spotify Singles will serve as a bridge connecting Korean hip-hop with listeners worldwide, offering them an opportunity to enjoy the rich culture of Korean hip-hop together.”

KrOWN X HAN 2024 arrives at a time when global interest in K-hip-hop is surging. Between 2014 and 2022, K-hip-hop streams on Spotify skyrocketed by 9,500% globally,* and since the launch of HAN last February, they have grown by more than 40%.** And the genre’s appeal is crossing borders, with the United States, Mexico, South Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Japan, and Canada emerging as the top consumers of K-hip-hop.***

This campaign also follows up on the success of last year’s inaugural HAN outing, which saw K-hip-hop trendsetters like Jay Park, Kid Milli, and MIRANI release six Spotify Singles. The tracks, which included “Grrr” and “Rock With You,” caught the attention of hip-hop fans worldwide and have amassed close to 14.4 million streams to date.**** Notably, “Grrr” went on to become the Best of KrOWN Song 2023 on Spotify and was nominated for the Best Collaboration of the Year at the Korean Hip-hop Awards 2024. “Rock With You” was also featured in our playlist Best of TrenChill K-R&B 2023.

Spotify is committed to supporting K-hip-hop culture through the flagship playlist KrOWN and programs like K-hip-hop Rookies that showcase the next generation of hip-hop talent in Korea. With our latest iteration of HAN, we’re continuing to support this vibrant musical culture. 

Discover more of the biggest talents in Korea’s hip-hop scene with our flagship playlist KrOWN. 

*Data from Jan 1, 2014 to Jan 1, 2023

**Data from Feb 23, 2023 to Apr 1, 2024

***Data from Mar 1 to 31, 2024

****Data as of February 16, 2024