Lee Jae-sang, CEO of K-pop entertainment giant Hybe, explained that the global expansion of Korean pop music is powered by a "virtuous cycle" driven by active fan participation, strategic localization, and sophisticated digital feedback systems. Speaking at a webinar hosted by Luminate, the U.S.-based entertainment data analytics firm that provides data for the Billboard charts, Lee highlighted how highly engaged "super fans" have become crucial in shaping artists' career trajectories on the global stage.
Lee emphasized that modern K-pop fans go far beyond traditional listening habits, actively participating in every aspect of their favorite artists' careers. "Fans are more than just listeners. They actively participate in the artist's entire scope of activities," Lee explained during his presentation. "This creates a virtuous cycle where a word of mouth through social media and communities quickly leads to streaming, establishing a rapid and potent feedback loop." This level of engagement has transformed how entertainment companies approach artist development and global marketing strategies.
According to Lee, Hybe's continued international success stems from what the company calls "fan engagement," which is supported by a localized adaptation of their "K-pop Approach." This comprehensive model integrates artist development, production systems, promotional strategies, and fan community building, all carefully tailored to match the cultural and industrial landscape of each target market. The approach allows Hybe to maintain the core appeal of K-pop while adapting to local preferences and market dynamics.
To illustrate the effectiveness of this strategy, Lee pointed to several recent success stories from Hybe's roster. He cited BTS member Jungkook's solo hit single "Seven," which achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the fastest track in Spotify's history to surpass one billion streams. Additionally, he highlighted Katseye, Hybe's U.S.-based girl group, which has recently reached an impressive 33 million monthly listeners on the streaming platform, demonstrating the company's ability to successfully apply K-pop methodologies to artists based outside of Korea.
Lee identified Generation Z as a pivotal demographic in Hybe's global expansion strategy, noting how the company's fan platform Weverse has successfully cultivated a highly participatory culture. On this platform, fans don't just consume content but actively create and share their own materials, fostering deeper connections with artists and building stronger fan communities. This user-generated content ecosystem has become a cornerstone of Hybe's approach to fan engagement and artist promotion.
Looking toward the future, Lee revealed that Hybe plans to intensify its efforts to reach Generation Alpha, the younger demographic that has not yet developed fixed cultural preferences or biases. He described this as a major strategic focus for the company over the next three to five years, recognizing the potential of this emerging audience. "They will embrace and support not only K-pop but also many artists debuting in local markets using the K-pop mechanisms as content they grew up with, without any biases," Lee predicted, suggesting that this generation will be more open to diverse musical influences and K-pop-influenced artists regardless of their geographic origins.
