Tag: K-pop

Discover Your K-Pop Persona With Spotify’s New Interactive Experience

April 23, 2024

In the last decade, as K-Pop cemented its status as a global phenomenon, Spotify has helped fans around the world keep their fingers on the pulse at every step of the way.

To date, our flagship playlist K-Pop ON! (온) has amassed nearly 5.4 million saves by Spotify users. Listeners can also merge their music tastes with some of K-Pop’s biggest stars through our Blend feature. In recent years, we’ve teamed up with groups like NewJeans, BTS, and BLACKPINK to create unique installations, pop-ups, and interactive experiences, all to bring K-Pop devotees closer to the artists and music they love.

And the love just keeps on growing. Since 2018, K-Pop streams on Spotify have skyrocketed by over 180% in the United States, over 420% in Southeast Asia, and over 360% worldwide.

Now, to celebrate K-Pop fans and their passion for the genre, Spotify is launching a new interactive experience, Your K-Pop Persona. Available until May 10, this in-app experience lets you discover and embrace what your ideal fan role would be in a K-Pop group and flex your results.

When you enter the experience, you’ll be asked five questions about the way you stan to help determine what your role might be in a K-Pop group. Inspired by the roles usually assigned to group members, you could be a Main Visual, a Main Vocal, a Main Rapper, a Main Dancer, or a Trainee.

Celebrate a Decade of Our K-Pop ON! (온) Playlist With a Special Series of Spotify Singles

February 5, 2024

The global success of K-Pop has opened the eyes and ears of music fans around the world. As part of Spotify’s efforts to help the genre travel the globe, we launched our flagship playlist K-Pop ON! (온) in 2014. The Korean word “온” means “100” or “whole,” the playlist’s title embodying the idea that K-Pop is always on 100 for listeners worldwide.

And that couldn’t be more true. In the last decade, K-Pop ON! (온) has amassed more than 5.3 million “saves” by Spotify users across the globe and racked up billions of streams for Korean artists, connecting them with listeners near and far. In fact, yearly streams from the playlist have skyrocketed by more than 5,600% since 2015. K-Pop ON! (온)’s top markets reflect the global demand for the genre, from the United States to Germany to Japan and beyond.

Whether they’re just discovering the genre or uniting over a shared passion, K-Pop ON! (온) has become a key destination for new listeners and veteran superfans alike.

To commemorate 10 years of bringing K-Pop’s very best to the world, Spotify is launching the first-ever Spotify K-Pop ON! (온) Singles, headlined by ENHYPEN, SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (of MONSTA X), and STAYC.

Centered around the theme of “My First K-Pop Crush,” these Spotify Singles feature covers of songs by the sunbaes (senior artists) who first sparked each band’s love of K-Pop. It’s a nod to every fan’s journey into the genre, which began with that first artist who made their heart flutter with their music, performance, and personality. It’s also a call to K-Pop fans around the world to join in this celebration of a shared passion for the genre, and the artists who started it all.

The Spotify Singles for the K-Pop ON! (온) First Crush campaign will drop exclusively on Spotify every two weeks. First up, stream ENHYPEN’s cover of “I NEED U” by BTS.

Next, listen to SHOWNU X HYUNGWON’s cover of “I Hate You” by 2PM.

Last but not least, stream STAYC’s rendition of “FANCY” by TWICE.

With every launch, listeners can also look forward to exclusive bonus content on Spotify’s K-Pop ON! (온) Video Podcast and YouTube channels. From performance videos to behind-the-scenes content, we’ll be unpacking the stories of the performing artists’ First K-Pop Crushes, the significance behind their song selection, and how the original artists inspired their journey in K-Pop.

Stream our K-Pop ON! (온) playlist to dive into the wonderful world of K-Pop.

Zior Park Brings Us Into His Universe as the Next RADAR Korea Artist

November 5, 2023

Zior Park RADAR Korea Cover

Known just as much for his visually stunning and artistic music videos as he is for his music, Zior Park is unquestionably one of the most diverse and innovative minds to hit the Korean scene in recent years. With a sound that gives off a merry-go-round Danny Elfman fever dream vibe through a hip-hop lens, the young artist’s fame has been rapidly rising since his 2018 debut.

Now he has reached new heights as this month’s RADAR Korea artist.

RADAR, a global Spotify program, is dedicated to showcasing emerging artists around the world through support, helping them expand their audiences to the global stage. Since its launch in 2020, the RADAR Korea playlist in particular has elevated the best and brightest new talent, like AleXa, ASH ISLAND, NMIXX, SOLE, Huh, and LE SSERAFIM, to the global stage.

As this month’s RADAR artist, Zior will grace the top spot on the RADAR Korea playlist. Additionally, we kicked off an exclusive RADAR party last week that included a live performance and the screening of an official RADAR behind-the-scenes documentary.

Zior first hit the scene in 2018 with his single “Beautiful.” His 2020 album THUNDERBIRD MOTEL and 2022’s SYNDROMEZ showed off a freshly polished dark sound touching on nostalgia, pain, and the experience of living a life that is far from normal. Zior’s latest EPs, WHERE DOES SASQUATCH LIVE? Pt. 1 and the recently dropped WHERE DOES SASQUATCH LIVE? Pt. 2 tell the story of “THE MAN WHO SAW SASQUATCH” and the resulting aftermath. Dripping with quirky child-like playfulness, singles such as “CHRISTIAN,” “QUEEN,” AND “MAGIC!” show off the dark-tinged artistry the South Korean has become most known for. 

“I’m thrilled to share my music with a global audience through Spotify’s RADAR program,” Zior told For the Record. “I will continue to explore my musical world and share exciting music and stories that are uniquely Zior Park.”

Listen to the quirky dark side that is Zior Park and other emerging Korean artists in our RADAR Korea playlist.

At SXSW Sydney, RADAR, EQUAL, and K-Music Take Over Spotify House

October 26, 2023

Blusher performs during the RADAR Artist Showcase & Party at Spotify House during SXSW Sydney on October 19, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images for Spotify)

For the first time in its history, Austin’s iconic South By Southwest (SXSW) festival expanded beyond its Texas watering hole and traveled all the way to Australia for SXSW Sydney. Fashioned as the Asia-Pacific extension of the original event, SXSW Sydney took place over eight days and included a series of creative sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and more. And you can bet Spotify was along for the ride.

We took over Sydney’s Lansdowne Hotel and transformed it into Spotify House across four days. During the day, it was the place to be for panels, networking sessions, and fireside chats. At night, Spotify House became a live-music venue with performances by a stellar line-up of artists from across the Asia-Pacific region. Spotify House was an opportunity to highlight some of our artist-first programs, like RADAR and EQUAL, as well as feature popular genres like K-hip-hop.

On our RADAR

We introduced our latest group of up-and-coming artists during a special RADAR showcase: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Vv Pete, and Blusher. 

“We are so grateful to be Spotify Australia’s new RADAR artist! We cannot believe the amazing support that we have received so far,” exclaimed the band members of Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. “We have absolutely loved seeing new people all over the world listening to us little Teeny Jeanies and we really can’t thank Spotify enough!”

RADAR is our global emerging artist program that supports rising artists, and that includes RADAR Australia and New Zealand, both of which we launched in 2020. Since then, we’ve played a significant role in helping regional artists like PANIA, merci, mercy, CHAII, Genesis Owusu, Youngn Lipz, Baker Boy, grentperez, Larissa Lambert, and Royel Otis cross over into international markets.

The response from a sold-out crowd deeply moved the artists. “We started making music in our bedrooms, and support from Spotify has made it possible to play our music to audiences all over the world,” shared Blusher. “Seeing new listeners connect with our project, being able to share not just our songs but our creative vision through visuals and playlists of the music that inspires us, makes us so excited to bring people into the Blusher world that we’re creating.”

It wasn’t just high-energy performances that amplified RADAR. Hannah Beeching, Spotify’s Lead for Global Music Program RADAR, spoke to industry veterans Andrew Klippel, Artist & Label Manager for Ourness Label, and Mardi Caught, founder of The Annex, a music marketing company, as part of the “RADAR Across Borders” session. “RADAR artists have been added to over 5,000 Spotify playlists since the program launched in 2020, and more than half of these artists have gone on to be added to more playlists in over 10 markets around the world,” Hannah remarked during the talk. 

Spotify’s GM of Asia Pacific, Gautam Talwar, Discusses the Music of a Rapidly Growing Region

October 17, 2023

The Asia Pacific region seems to never sleep on Spotify. From events celebrating Kalye HipHop, our flagship Pinoy hip-hop playlist, to the tenth anniversary of Spotify in Taiwan, we’ve spent a decade developing relevant products and content offerings to deepen our connection with local users. And our work is just getting started.  

This week, Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s General Manager of Asia Pacific, is joining artists and podcasters at SXSW Sydney, the first time the festival has been staged outside of its Austin, Texas, home base. Via panels and performances on everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop— and how we continue to strive for gender equity—we’ll highlight how Spotify helps music move beyond borders at the iconic Lansdowne Hotel.

For the Record sat down with Gautam to learn more about what’s happening in the region. 

What are some factors that make the Asia Pacific region, APAC, a distinct and notable market for Spotify?

Asia Pacific is increasingly central to our global platform as a driving post for global culture—whether music, entertainment, fashion, gaming, technology, or e-commerce. And the region as a whole is one of our fastest-growing regions at Spotify today. There’s three main reasons for that. 

One is that these countries have large youthful populations. You’re talking about one of the largest clusters of Gen Z customers in the world, over 150 million Gen Zs residing in Asia Pacific who are driving this booming creator economy and online music culture. 

The other thing that makes it very unique is diversity. This is our superpower. There’s incredible diversity across languages, religions, and ethnicities. We also see this diversity play out in music and culture. Music is a very central, core part of expression. And since music has an important role of soundtracking daily life in Asia Pacific, music is a reflection of diversity in this region.

The third thing that makes it very unique is artists and creators. We are talking about an incredibly diverse group of genres and artists that are now crossing borders and building an international audience, all thanks to Spotify. We have some great examples of artists born in Asia, who maybe got their footing in Seoul, Sydney, or Jakarta, who have now crossed borders, gone overseas, and built a global audience. 

What trends are emerging globally with music from the region? 

Spotify has evolved from bringing all the world’s audio to Asia Pacific to taking all the audio from Asia Pacific to the world. 

When I joined Spotify about five years ago, the top charts in most of our Asian markets had mostly international music. Today when I look, it’s increasingly local. It’s increasingly K-Pop. And we’re also seeing some regional and hyper-local artists and genres making it to the top. We are seeing artists from all corners of our countries who are working to build an audience on Spotify. We have examples of not only those who are topping charts in their home country, but who are crossing borders to top charts elsewhere.

K-Pop is one of my favorite examples. Traditionally, the home of K-Pop is Seoul. But if you look at the genre’s top markets, it’s actually the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Mexico where streaming is outsizing Korea. Similarly, Mandopop, which was born out of Taiwan and China, ends up traveling to all parts of the world where the Chinese diaspora resides—Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the U.S. We’re seeing this in Aussie music as well, with names like Tones and I, The Kid LAROI, and Troye Sivan finding big audiences in the U.K. and the United States. 

But then there’s country-specific trends, like hyperlocal pop with Javanese Pop in Indonesia and LukThung in Thailand. The countries have rich, vibrant, local ecosystems and creators with big fans on social media. They don’t have to be in a metro region to build a career, but rather could be in any part of the country. Their fandoms help them not only drop music on Spotify but then promote it across social media. Artists care about their expression, they care about their sound, and the story. And what we’re seeing is that great songwriting and storytelling wins. And thanks to the personalization of the Spotify platform and its global distribution, there are numerous examples of artists’ finding an audience outside of their home country. We’re seeing waves. 

Fandoms are a key part of music in the region. How do we embrace and reflect this passion?

Our growth story in the region has always been built on supporting a set of fandoms and really using Spotify as a way for fans to channel and fuel their passions around these fandoms. In many ways, we’ve evolved from marketing to consumers to speaking to and through fans. 

We have a fairly strong presence and investment in K-Pop discovery on the platform. We have a K-Pop hub with a flagship playlist, K-Pop ON! It contains the latest and greatest in K-Pop. It’s what RapCaviar is to hip-hop and Viva Latino is to Latin music. This is for the global K-Pop community of artists and fans. It’s the mothership. It’s where you’ll discover the next big thing on the platform. 

We’ve also evolved this playlist, taking it off-platform to build a strong media network around it, with a YouTube channel, Twitter handle, and Instagram and TikTok distribution. For our fans, it’s really about being very playful and helping create opportunities that let them get closer to their favorite artists. Our storytelling approach is very much speaking to and through fans. They get up close and personal and see artists in their most playful states. And they’re loving it. 

One of the activations we did this year was Bunnyland. NewJeans is a rookie band, a year old, and they’re already commanding an audience as big as BLACKPINK. They are Gen Z, five girls, all incredibly creative and musically strong.  For their debut album release, we created an activation involving a real-life immersive fan experience for called Bunnyland. We had about 100,000 attendees across Bunnyland activations in Seoul, Jakarta, as well as Manila and Tokyo and heavily supported their U.S. debut at Lollapalooza.  So for us it’s about showing up every day, both with playlists and with iconic big-beat moments. 

We’ve also got ideas for how to do this with T-Pop, particularly with the strength of the Boys’ Love fandom, and in Australia, with A1 hip-hop—Aussie hip-hop. This subculture is very strong locally, and I’m very excited about how we’ve taken it to the main stage. 

How about podcasting? 

This is an exciting region for podcasts due to its history of talk radio. Today, markets like Australia, Indonesia, and India are some of the top markets for podcast listening. There’s been a lot of early adopters in this market, especially in Indonesia and the Philippines. When Anchor, now Spotify for Podcasters, launched, we saw radio personalities and social media personalities rally to it as an easy means to express themselves and get onto an audio platform. That has increasingly been going mainstream since.

In Indonesia and the Philippines we’re also seeing a whole new breed of creators who believe in long form as a means of storytelling. (There are some really big commutes in those countries, and podcasts play a role there). The big genres are comedy, horror, and crime, and the audiences tend to be more educated, more affluent, more curious about what’s out in the zeitgeist. Love and relationships is another one—people can use podcasts as a format to talk about subject matter that the mainstream wouldn’t talk about. 

Australia, too, has a very rich podcast ecosystem. We are a lead player there with a thriving ad sales operation. We have a number of original and licensed tentpole shows, both Aussie and American, that really do well. We also just announced the introduction in Australia of our premium audiobook offer. This makes available at least 150,000 audiobooks as part of Spotify Premium subscriptions—something that’s going to be huge in the market. 

What are you most excited to bring to SXSW Sydney?

I’m excited about the platform South By presents for us. It’s at the cutting edge of tech and innovation. It’s one of the most exciting congregations of the sharpest creative minds in the industry. And what I’m excited about is how we are really showcasing our diversity as Spotify, and the things that we are really passionate about, be it our EQUAL or RADAR programs, and how they elevate discovery for artists. 

I’m excited about showcasing artists from multiple genres, everyone from MILLI, one of my favorite Thai hip-hop stars, to, you know, some of the most exciting acts in Korean music and Korean hip-hop.

It’s interesting that Sydney is where the first edition of South By is happening outside of Austin. Sydney is home to musicians, artists, and designers, and there’s a lot of commonalities between Sydney and Austin. I’m hoping to see this become a returning franchise that we can become a part of. 

Hear more from Gautam about our presence at SXSW Sydney on the Spotify: For the Record podcast.

Share Your Top 5 BTS Songs in Our Latest In-App Experience

June 12, 2023

Over the last decade, BTS has become a global cultural phenomenon, putting K-Pop on the map worldwide. The group has fueled—and is fueled by—one of the most enthusiastic fan bases in the world. Each listener has their own special relationship with the band’s music. So to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary, Spotify and BTS curated a special love letter experience: My Top 5: BTS Songs. 

This interactive experience lets listeners curate their personal favorite songs from a selection of BTS’s discography, then share their picks with friends on social media. BTS worked with Spotify to curate a special selection that celebrates much of their collective discography from the past decade.*

“Each step of our journey together has been unique and has sounded different along the way,” the band shared. “We hope many people enjoy this new experience with Spotify’s My Top 5: BTS Songs and share their favorites with us.”

Here’s how to enjoy My Top 5: BTS:

  1. Make sure you’re in one of the 48 markets where the experience is live** and ensure your iPhone is up-to-date with version 8.8.40.x. 
  2. Visit https://spotify.com/top5 on your device.
  3. The experience will present a curated selection of BTS’s songs. Select your five favorites. Then drag and reorder them in the visual display to create your top list. 
  4. You’ll receive your picks in a visual sharecard. Then, choose a sharecard backdrop with the option to highlight your BTS group bias—aka your favorite group member. 
  5. Finally, share your personalized digital card with your selections and compare with your friends on social media using #spotifymytop5.

My Top 5: BTS Songs marks the next iteration of this interactive experience on Spotify that follows My Top 5 moments with other iconic artists, including The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, and ROSALÍA. Visit https://spotify.com/top5 to get started. 

*The available songs to select from do not include the full BTS catalog or songs by other artists where BTS is featured

**The My Top 5: BTS Songs experience will be available in 48 markets: U.S., Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Poland, Turkey, U.K., Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Kuwait, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Botswana, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay; and 15 languages: English, English-GB, French-CA, French, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Arabic, Spanish-LATAM, Korean, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, German, and Bahasa Indonesia.

LE SSERAFIM Takes Its Daring Brand of K-Pop to the World as Our Latest RADAR Korea Group

June 7, 2023

From the very start, K-Pop girl group LE SSERAFIM made it known they would stand at the top. Consisting of members Sakura, Chaewon, Yunjin, Kazuha, and Eunchae, the group has garnered global attention with its unwavering spirit and infectious sound. This is even evident in its name—an anagram of the phrase “I’m fearless”—which serves as a mantra to represent the members’ self-confidence and unbreakable poise.

Now the LE SSERAFIM is taking the next step toward pop superstardom as RADAR Korea’s newest featured act.

RADAR, a global Spotify program, is dedicated to showcasing emerging and talented artists around the world through support and resources that help selected artists expand their global audiences. As part of the RADAR program, Spotify is providing promotional support to LE SSERAFIM through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and billboard placements. We also worked with the group on a RADAR mini-documentary, which you can watch in full below or catch some footage on the Clips featured in our RADAR Korea playlist.

LE SSERAFIM marked its arrival last year with its debut EP FEARLESS and quickly followed that up with a second EP, ANTIFRAGILE. Last month, exactly one year after its first release, the group released UNFORGIVEN, its debut studio album that further showcases the group’s determination to pave its own path. 

Since then, the group’s most-streamed songs globally include: 

“We deeply appreciate the opportunity to connect more closely with our fans around the world through Spotify’s RADAR program,” said Chaewon. “We look forward to continuing to challenge ourselves by sharing music and telling stories that are uniquely LE SSERAFIM.”

Since its launch in 2020, RADAR Korea has supported various emerging Korean artists—including AleXa, ASH ISLAND, NMIXX, SOLE, and Huh—and introduced them to Spotify listeners around the world.

Check out the hottest sounds from these artists and more with the RADAR Korea playlist.

대한민국의 다채로운 음악씬, 스포티파이 자체 제작 팟캐스트 에피소드로 만나보세요

February 8, 2023

모두들 K팝이라는 장르에 대해 들어본 적은 있을 겁니다. 세계에서 7번째로 큰 음악 시장인 한국에서 탄생한 K팝은, 에너지 넘치면서 화려하고 역동적인 것으로 이미 알려져 있죠. 특히 K팝의 세계적인 성공으로 한국의 다양한 음악 장르 뿐만 아니라 ‘오징어 게임’ ‘기생충’ 등 대한민국에 기점을 둔 문화 · 콘텐츠의 여러 분야 역시 널리 확산되고 있는 추세이기도 합니다. 

스포티파이 자체 제작 팟캐스트 ‘Discover This(디스커버 디스)’의 이번 에피소드는, 특별히 스포티파이 한국 론칭 2주년을 맞아 K팝을 넘어 한국의 컬러풀한 음악씬을 전 세계에 소개하고자 합니다. 

한국어와 영어 두 가지 언어로 공개된 이번 에피소드의 한국어 버전은, R&B 싱어송라이터 JUNNY(주니)가 단독 진행을, 영어 버전은 기존 진행자인 리아 팔미에리(Lea Palmieri)가 함께 진행을 맡았는데요. 타이거JK, 윤미래, 박재범, 다이나믹듀오, pH-1, 신스 등 한국힙합의 레전드 및 라이징 아티스트와의 인터뷰부터 K-R&B, 록, OST, 웹툰, 그리고 트로트 등 – 다양한 이야기를 담고 있습니다. 뿐만 아니라 이번 팟캐스트 에피소드를 통해 박상욱 스포티파이 코리아 매니징 디렉터의 인터뷰 역시 만나볼 수 있습니다.

스포티파이는 한국 런칭 후 지난 2년 간 글로벌 K팝 사이트 ‘K-Pop ON! Track(K팝 온 트랙)’ 론칭, 글로벌 한국힙합 플레이리스트 KrOWN의 리브랜딩, 한국 팟캐스트 서비스 개시 등 다양한 활동을 진행해왔습니다.

박상욱 매니징 디렉터는 “K팝의 태생지이자 세계적인 파급력을 지닌 다채로운 문화 콘텐츠를 보유한 한국에서 스포티파이의 여정은 여전히 초기 단계에 있다”며, “스포티파이는 앞으로도 한국의 아티스트, 음악, 크리에이터, 콘텐츠, 문화를 더 많은 글로벌 리스너와 연결할 수 있도록 지속적으로 노력할 계획”이라고 전했습니다.

더 자세한 내용을 아래에서 확인해보세요!

Two Years Into Spotify’s Launch in South Korea, the K-Wave Is Here To Stay

February 8, 2023

Album art from spotify milestones in korea over the past year

You’ve probably heard of a little genre called K-Pop, the energetic and highly danceable phenomenon that migrated from South Korea to the world. K-Pop’s success—Korea is the seventh-largest music market on the planet—has not only resulted in a global export of music from the country, but in other pop culture sensations, too. Squid Game and Parasite, anyone?

In the latest episode of Spotify: Discover This, our host Lea Palmieri is joined by Korean Canadian singer-songwriter Junny for a deep dive into the K-Music scene beyond K-Pop. The pair speaks to some of the biggest names in K-Hip-hop, including Tiger JK, Yoon Mirae, Dynamicduo, Jay Park, pH–1, and SINCE. From there, they move into K-R&B, K-Rock, and Original Sound Tracks (OSTs). Also appearing: webtoons, a musical foray into the metaverse, and even Trot. We’ve released the episode in both English and Korean.

The episode arrives just as Spotify marks our second anniversary in Korea; it also features an interview with Spotify Korea Managing Director David Park. 

“Spotify is still in its early stage in Korea, which not only is the birthplace of K-Pop, but also the hub of rich cultural contents with global impact,” says David. “We’ll continue to pave the way by connecting more Korean artists, music, creators, contents, and culture with more listeners worldwide.”

And Spotify has had plenty to celebrate from Korea over the past two years. From K-Pop On! Track and our Korean hip-hop playlist KrOWN, as well as the addition of podcasts, there’s a bit of  K-Culture for everyone. Take a look.

Listen to the K-Wave episode of Spotify: Discover This in Korean here. 

K-pop Quintet NewJeans Commands Attention as Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month

February 3, 2023

K-pop newjeans equal cover art

Jeans have been a beloved wardrobe staple for generations—something that rising K-pop group NewJeans knew all too well when adopting their name. The group set out to create crowd-pleasing songs that you can’t help but keep on your playlists and put on daily. They’re off to a rocking start: With their August 2022 debut of three singles, including “Attention,” they charted on Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs U.S. chart, a first for any newly debuted K-pop group. 

Composed of MINJI, HANNI, DANIELLE, HAERIN, and HYEIN, all singers who hail from Korea and beyond, NewJeans is the first release from ADOR, an independent label under HYBE led by MIN HEE JIN. Creating authentic music that radiates a youthful spirit, the group aspires to push the boundaries of the K-pop scene. (You can hear more from them in K-Pop ON! Track.)

In January, NewJeans joined Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program as our ambassador of the month. EQUAL aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. NewJeans’ music was featured heavily on the EQUAL Global playlist throughout the month. 

The newcomers were humbled by the love and support they received worldwide following their first EP, New Jeans. In OMG, NewJeans’ very first winter release, they tackle relationships, attraction, and devotion in a deeper way.

For the Record asked the EQUAL artist to fill in the blanks and learn more about their creative process and inspirations.

The artists who have most inspired me are _____.

There’s no particular artist that I can pick, since I want to get a lot of inspiration and learn from all the artists. (해린 HAERIN)

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is _____ .

Always face yourself and be proud of yourself!! (민지 MINJI)

One notable moment in my career so far is _____ .

Our debut! (혜인 HYEIN)

My creative process consists of _____ .

Inspiration, forming ideas and visualizing them, then through trial and error building the pieces to create what I want!! (다니엘 DANIELLE)

My girl-power anthem is _____ .

Would probably be most of the Little Mix songs!! But if I had to choose, “Hair” by Little Mix!!  (하니 HANNI)

Discover more women artists climbing the charts with our EQUAL Global playlist.

Watch 6 Iconic Korean Hip-Hop Artists Explain How the Genre Has Captured the Hearts of Fans Around the World

December 13, 2022

In South Korea, hip-hop has not only evolved into an essential part of the music scene, but also a big part of the country’s pop culture. While K-Pop has been taking over the world, Korean hip-hop has also started to gain international popularity, with K-hip-hop artists expanding their presence in the global market. With the growing interest from fans and listeners worldwide, Spotify launched KrOWN in September of this year, our official global Korean hip-hop playlist (formerly known as K-Hip-Hop +82). KrOWN serves as a bridge between K-hip-hop and music fans around the world, ultimately elevating Korean hip-hop artists and culture. 

To dive further into the genre, uncover what makes K-hip-hop unique to the world, and explore the music’s roots, Spotify sat down with some of the most iconic artists in the scene.

Meet some of the key players who have propelled the growth of K-hip-hop:  

  • Tiger JK: The history of hip-hop in South Korea is generally considered to have begun in the 1990s with iconic figures like Tiger JK helping the genre become mainstream. Often referred to as the godfather of K-hip-hop, the rapper was also a founding member of the group Drunken Tiger. “Back then, every day was like war, and finding a place to perform was almost impossible. But it was so much fun,” Tiger JK recalls. “And the best trophy for us at the time was having three or four fans walk up to us in the subway and share which lyrics and rhymes they liked about our song.”
  • Yoon Mirae: Yoon debuted in 1997 and is recognized as an icon in Korea. She runs the record label Feel Ghood Music with her husband, Tiger JK. “If you are a fan of hip-hop, you can’t help but be a fan of K-hip-hop,” she says. “A lot of artists in Korea are just really that good, and a lot of MCs—especially people like Tiger JK—stay grounded to their roots and want to show their love and appreciation for the Korean culture we came from… I think people recognize that.”

  • Dynamicduo (consisting of CHOIZA and Gaeko): The K-hip-hop scene began to coalesce further in the 2000s, as the genre’s top artists continuously challenged themselves to bring the sound forward. In 2006, the iconic group Dynamicduo established hip-hop record label Amoeba Culture, which has since become a home to various prominent artists.

  • Jay Park: Fast-forward to the present, and Jay Park—rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur—believes the overall popularity of Korean culture around the world has benefitted K-hip-hop as well. Having started his career in the K-Pop entertainment business, Jay Park is now a renowned multifaceted talent and one of the most streamed Korean hip-hop artists worldwide.  

  • The Quiett: The Quiett holds a strong presence in South Korea’s hip-hop scene with over two decades of experience in the space. A rapper, composer, and record producer widely known for founding major hip-hop record labels (including Illionaire Records and Ambition Musik), the artist thinks back to when he first started as a rapper and to the exciting present of the scene, now filled with passionate, unique talents. 

Not only has the genre become a significant part of the music culture in South Korea, but it has also emerged as a form of entertainment, including TV shows, festivals, and films, enjoyed across many generations. 

In addition to the campaign video available on KrOWN (via Spotify Clips) and Spotify’s official global YouTube channel, starting mid December, the KrOWN playlist will be taken over each week by one of the artists featured in the video. Through the KrOWN playlist takeover campaign, Yoon Mirae and Tiger JK, Dynamicduo, The Quiett, and Jay Park will each select 10 of their favorite tracks to be added at the top of the KrOWN playlist for one full week. Interviews of each artist will also be unveiled on the platform.

Spotify Fans in South Korea Can Now Enjoy More Than 4 Million Podcasts From Local and Global Creators

October 19, 2022

Lead image of shows included in Spotify Korea's podcast launch

In just under two years, Spotify has established itself as a destination for Korean music fans and artists through playlists like K-Pop ON! (온) and KrOWN. Now we want to do the same for podcasts. 

Starting today, Spotify Korea listeners will have access to more than 4 million podcasts worldwide. This includes global podcasts like TED Talks Daily, TED Business, BBC’s Global News Podcast, and the New York Times’ The Daily; Spotify Originals like Batman Unburied, Kim Kardashian’s The System, and Meghan Markle’s Archetypes; and Spotify Exclusives like Myths Of The World and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy.

We’re also launching a podcast hub exclusively for South Korean listeners. This one-stop destination can help Spotify Korea listeners find the perfect podcast through personalized playlists and spotlights on local content. Some of the regional podcasts the hub will highlight include Confidentiality by Vivo (comedy), Leestar Radio (sports), Sun Kim’s Relentless World History (educational), Weird Mysterious Stories by Braden (true crime), Daebak Show by Eric Nam (music), Check It Out (arts & entertainment), The Psychiatrists (lifestyle & health), Intelligence Play by Jiyoon Kim (news & politics), Two Women in Talk (story), and more. 

In addition to providing new content for listeners, we’ve also localized our podcast creation tool, Anchor, in Korean. This will make it easier for Korean creators to openly record, edit, and distribute podcasts to Spotify and other services in minutes—all for free.

To learn more about what all this means for the South Korean podcast market, For the Record spoke with four of South Korea’s renowned creators: Eun-i Song, Eric Nam, Jaekuk Lee, and the Leestar Team.


Eun-i Song

Eun-i Song is the founder and CEO of Content Lab VIVO, as well as Media Lab Seesaw, a content creation and management company. She is also a household name in South Korea, where she is highly acclaimed as a comedian and for her pioneering content creation and distribution work with VIVO. Her podcast, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, is now available on Spotify.

What do you like most about podcasts?

Since podcasts are not organized by broadcasting companies and do not require a large amount of production costs, the fact that anyone can create their own program is the biggest attraction. From the producer’s perspective, podcasts provide room to take risks with ideas that could not be done in broadcast, allowing for more diverse and creative content. 

How do you think the podcast market and listenership has changed since 2015, when your show, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, first launched?

Photo of Eun-i Song posing against a white backdrop

Eun-i Song

When our podcast, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, first started, the majority of popular podcasts were focused on politics. Now it seems like podcast genres are branching out to include entertainment, economy, and self help–related content. Similarly, the podcast market is increasingly looking at the older generations—who are familiar with radio culture and political content—and has expanded to include content pioneers who are bringing a diversity of content that hasn’t been given much podcast attention in the past.

Looking at the local entertainment industry in general, what kind of topics or content for audio/podcast services do you expect to gather popularity in the future?

I think the biggest advantage of audio and podcast content is that it allows people to multitask. I’ve heard that the listeners of our podcast like to do so while commuting, working in the office, doing design work, or working in the hospital. And now more audio content such as audio dramas and audio movies are in active production, and a lot of entertainment audio content with broadcasters is in the works. Listeners are selecting and enjoying content according to their individual tastes, and their preferences are constantly changing. Podcasts have also diversified alongside listeners’ tastes, and I hope that eclectic, genre-defying content will be introduced in the near future. 

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

If a variety of different worldwide content flows through a global podcast platform such as Spotify to South Korea, the range of choices for local listeners will expand and I think the overall pie of the industry will also increase. I expect the podcast market to grow bigger and attract more creators as the demand grows.


Eric Nam

Spotify podcast cover art for the Daebak Show

A multitalented veteran in the entertainment industry with fans around the world, Eric Nam is an ever-evolving artist, a singer-songwriter, a K-Pop artist, a CEO, and a podcaster. His globally popular podcast, Daebak Show, is now available on Spotify.

You introduced K-Pop as a genre and its artists through your Daebak Show. Was there a specific reason as to why you started the podcast?

Originally, I wanted to create content for international K-Pop fans because they give so much love to Korea and to K-Pop artists. After meeting English-speaking K-Pop fans, I thought it might be a more accessible way for fans to hear behind-the-scenes stories, learn more about Korean music and culture, and also get to know some of their favorite artists through stories and interviews they’ve never heard before. In addition, I’ve always wanted to host my own talk show of sorts, perhaps because of my background in interviewing. We thought that putting a podcast together would be a great way to start without overcomplicating the process.

Portrait of Eric Nam posing in front of a mirror

Eric Nam

What’s one tip you’d share about Spotify’s podcast creation tool as a podcast creator yourself?

Spotify is such an amazing platform, particularly for international reach, and it provides incredible analytics so you can track where your content gets the most engagement. 

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

I’m very excited for Spotify to finally be launching their podcast service in Korea because I’m personally a huge fan of the format. They’re engaging, entertaining, and educational in so many ways. I hope that Spotify users will be able to find not only their favorite songs, but also their favorite podcasts on the platform, and that they give Daebak Show a listen! Please follow us! 

What are some of your favorite podcasts, apart from your Daebak Show?

The Daily by the NYTimes, The Tablo Podcast, and Smartless.


Jaekuk Lee (of Momocon)

Spotify podcast cover art for Sun Kim's Relentless World History

Jaekuk Lee is the general manager and founding member of web and audio content company Momocon (an abbreviation of ‘more than mobile contents”). As an award-winning broadcast writer, he has extensive experience in the South Korean broadcasting industry, including radio. Momocon’s podcast, Sun Kim’s Relentless World History, is now available on Spotify.

What do you like most about podcasts?

I wish I could answer this with the local meme that says “faster than others, different from others” as podcasts provide way faster and more accurate content than radio broadcasts. In addition to allowing listeners to multitask, they are more accessible and offer more diversified information—even compared to video content.

You’ve previously produced numerous memorable podcasts. As a producer, what do you think is the most important factor podcasters should consider when creating a show?

Headshot of Jaekuk Lee Smiling

Jaekuk Lee

I have experimented a lot with podcast content and come to the conclusion that “fun” is the most important factor. After all, entertainment takes up consumers’ time, and I do not think anything without fun can appeal to them. Whether the content is historical, therapeutic, or informational, there must be something “fun” . . . followed by the content’s objective.

You made a big hit with the show Sun Kim’s Relentless World History. How did you come across creating short-form audio content on history?

Everyone loves history-based content, but this is especially true for Koreans. The way history can be interpreted in many different ways also makes it a great topic for discussion. Based on my past experiences as a radio writer, breaking news that would wake people up and short stories that are easy to understand are effective for morning broadcasts. Meanwhile, somewhat comfortable, longer stories that don’t need clear understanding are suitable for nighttime broadcasts to put listeners to sleep. I produced Sun Kim’s Relentless World History with hopes to provide a segment of history that is fun and easy to approach on the way to and from work. I believe that an interpretation of history could also become meme-worthy if it is fun.

In terms of content format and genre, what innovative trends do you think podcasters need to pay attention to moving forward?

I would say audio dramas and audio movies. Sound is the first form of entertainment humans encounter, and we have cultivated our imagination by listening to our parents’ voices in the womb. While the podcast market has grown through informative content so far, it should take a bigger step toward drama and storytelling through audio. While video content about astronauts on Mars would have to show Mars through the lens, an audio drama could let one’s imagination loose with the simple statement that an astronaut has arrived on Mars.

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

I’m hoping that people can be in touch with a wide range of genres and formats, which can, in turn, activate our national podcast industry. I’m thinking that global podcasts that scored a hit worldwide—in particular, audio dramas and documentaries—will actively flow in through Spotify, giving listeners more variety and fun. I hope it will be an opportunity for creative people to try more diverse things.


The Leestar Team

Spotify podcast cover art for Leestar Radio

Jongyoon Park and Jooheon Lee, known together as the Leestar Team, are CEOs of the new-media company Lab Choo Jong Yoon. The pair is famous for their soccer-focused video and podcast content, which has attracted a fan base of hardcore sports fans in South Korea. Their podcast, Leestar Radio, is now available on Spotify.

You have achieved success in the sports podcasting world with the rare distinction of having worked as a professional commentator and caster in the past. Could you tell us more about the state of sports podcasting in South Korea?

Photo of Leestar Team members Jongyoon Park eating a corndog and Jeonhoon Lee smiling and holding a keyboard like a guitar

The Leestar Team

The sports sector makes up a relatively small portion of the podcast market. Generally, politics, culture, and entertainment are the dominant genres, and they seem to be preferred by listeners because they are easily relatable. Meanwhile, sports podcasts are often found and listened to by those who are specifically interested in sports. This niche allows sports podcasts to secure a fixed fan base.

What do you like most about podcasts?

Podcasts have a more relaxed vibe compared to regular radio programs. Also, people can listen to podcasts at any time and pause them whenever they want, unlike radio. Moreover, anyone can record and share their podcast content with others.