"K-Content Is Now Created Globally... Without IP Design Rights, Korea Has No Place"

Kim Taeho of HYBE: "Production and Distribution Are Being Reshaped Globally
...Increasing Creative Success Rates with a Multi-Label System"
"Structural Preparation Needed to Maintain Leadership Over IP"

Kim Taeho, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HYBE, is delivering the keynote speech at the "Content IP Market 2025" held at COEX on the 25th.

"The era in which Korea had exclusive authority to define the meaning of 'K' has come to an end."

Kim Taeho, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HYBE, emphasized in his keynote speech at the "Content IP Market 2025" held at COEX on the 25th, that the K-content market is shifting from a "Korea-produced, world-consumed" structure to a "world-produced, world-consumed" structure. He pointed out that as global platforms and production companies are now directly planning and creating even Korea-themed content, the areas in which Korean companies need to secure a presence have also changed.

He cited the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" as a symbolic example of this shift. The concept and theme of the project are K-pop, but the production is handled by Sony Pictures Animation and distribution by Netflix. Kim noted, "A significant portion of the intellectual property (IP) value and derivative revenue from K-content is now being generated overseas."

He viewed this structural change as an issue that could determine the sustainability of the industry. Kim assessed that if Korean companies fail to establish a foundation for integrated management of production, expansion, and distribution, the global expansion of K-content will not easily translate into growth for the domestic industry.

HYBE's recently strengthened multi-label system is a strategy that emerged in this context. Multiple labels, including Big Hit Music, Belift Lab, Source Music, Pledis, KOZ, and ADOR, operate independently in their creative processes. The aim is to move away from the traditional system where the entire industry was dependent on specific producers or production methods. Kim stated, "It is impossible to continuously replicate the same success stories," adding, "The probability of success increases when various production methods coexist."

Kim Taeho, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HYBE, is delivering the keynote speech at the "Content IP Market 2025" held at COEX on the 25th.

HYBE has also established a system in which dedicated organizations handle concerts, brand collaborations, merchandising, and media production, enabling the expansion of original content created by each label into various industries. Kim explained, "Although music is the starting point, expansion occurs beyond music," adding, "The broader the applications of IP, the more stable the foundation for corporate growth becomes."

He identified "Weverse" as the connecting point for this expansion structure-a fandom platform with 9.4 million monthly active users. Kim believes that, based on the accumulated fan data, it is possible to form a structure in which all stages-production, expansion, and consumption-are interconnected.

Kim emphasized, "As the globalization of K-content accelerates, the ability to design and accumulate IP will determine the future of Korean companies," and stressed, "In a situation where production flows are becoming globally distributed, structural preparation is needed to maintain leadership over IP."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.