The fictional K-pop boy group Saja Boys, which captured audiences' attention in Netflix's animated series "K-Pop Demon Hunters," is making a significant leap from the virtual world to reality by officially launching their music careers. All five vocal artists behind the animated characters have recently joined the Federation of Korean Music Performers (FKMP) as official members, marking a unique transition from fictional entertainment to legitimate music industry participation.
The FKMP announced on Thursday that the newly registered performers include Danny Chung and samUIL Lee, who are joining existing members Andrew Choi, Neckwav, and Kevin Woo. These five artists are the actual vocalists who provided the singing voices for the boy group featured in the popular Netflix animated production "K-Pop Demon Hunters."
The group boasts impressive credentials within the K-pop industry. Andrew Choi, who gained recognition by finishing third on SBS's "K-pop Star Season 2," has since established himself as a highly skilled music producer, creating hit songs for major K-pop groups including SHINee, EXO, and NCT. Kevin Woo brings significant industry experience as a former member of the established K-pop group U-KISS and has maintained an active career through solo projects, musical theater performances, and various stage shows.
The remaining members of Saja Boys also contribute diverse expertise to the group, with their professional backgrounds spanning music production, vocal performance, and songwriting. This combination of established industry veterans and emerging talent creates a unique foundation for the group's transition from animated fiction to real-world music activities.
The significance of their FKMP membership extends beyond typical industry registration, as these artists primarily conduct their professional activities overseas yet voluntarily chose to participate in Korea's related rights system. This decision reflects the growing international confidence in Korea's performer rights framework, particularly for K-pop-related content that reaches global audiences.
Cho Hyun, head of FKMP's overseas database team, emphasized the broader implications of this development. "In a time when K-pop content is spreading worldwide, it is meaningful that artists active mainly overseas have voluntarily joined FKMP," Cho stated. He further explained that "as music produced and released in Korea is consumed globally, FKMP will continue to serve as a central platform to ensure that both domestic and overseas artists receive the rights they deserve."
The Federation of Korean Music Performers, established in 1988, serves as the primary organization managing the rights of music performers across various genres, including pop music, gugak (traditional Korean music), classical music, vocal performance, and conducting. The organization has experienced consistent growth in its membership base, recently celebrating a milestone when Wendy of the popular girl group Red Velvet became the organization's 50,000th member.
