Weverse and Asobi CEOs: "Korea Is a Global Hub... Japan Embraces Fandom, Eases Copyright Barriers"

[Interview] Jinsu Moon, Weverse Japan & Yusuke Nakagawa, Asobi System CEOs


Easing Copyright Regulations and Introducing Korea’s Open Fandom Culture

Supporting Globalization of J-pop with Customized Localization Technology

Maximizing Profits with Data-Driven and Sophisticated Business Strategies

"Reshaping the Global Music Market through Korea-Japan Collaboration"

Jisoo Moon (left), CEO of Weverse Japan, and Yusuke Nakagawa, CEO of ASOBISYSTEM, pose during an interview held on the 7th at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Provided by Weverse Company

"After appearing on Korean music broadcasts, we saw a new influx of fans from regions like India and North America, where we previously had little response. Korea is a crucial market for establishing a foundation for global expansion."

Japan, the world’s second-largest music market, is leveraging Korean information technology (IT) platforms to make a push into the global market. To break through the limitations of its traditionally closed domestic market, the Japanese music industry is quickly embracing Korea’s unique open fandom culture and technological prowess.

Jinsu Moon, CEO of Weverse Japan, a Japanese subsidiary of HYBE, and Yusuke Nakagawa, CEO of Japanese entertainment company Asobi System, held a joint interview on the 7th at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul. They stated, "By combining Korea's IT platform technology with Japan's original content, we aim to create new economic synergy in the global market."

Asobi System is an agency that has produced numerous artists based on Harajuku culture in Japan. CEO Nakagawa also serves as a national advisory committee member for 'Cool Japan,' the Japanese government's cultural export project. In July last year, all 38 members from five teams under the Asobi System’s girl group project ‘KAWAII LAB.’ joined Weverse. The two companies began collaborating through offline performances and have since worked together on sharing promotional information and coordinating music broadcast appearances.

Nakagawa stated that he was struck by the Korean fandom culture. He said, “In Japan, support such as coffee trucks is prohibited during TV studio visits, so I was surprised by the passionate support culture of Korean fans. While Japanese broadcasters do not release music broadcast videos immediately on YouTube, Korean fans voluntarily re-edit and promote these videos on social networking services (SNS), thereby strengthening the fandom on their own.” He added, "The biggest difference is that in Japan, protecting copyright is considered a right of the fan, whereas in Korea, enjoying and sharing music together is seen as a core part of the fandom culture."

This Korean-style platform support system is helping Japanese agencies grow. Nakagawa said, "Weverse’s language translation support and real-time feedback from local fans are extremely helpful in devising business strategies." Asobi System expects to attract a large number of new fans through this year’s Weverse Con Festival. He remarked, “With the July concert following the performance in Korea in March, we expect our fan base to grow by about four times.”

Although Japan is the world’s second-largest music market, fierce domestic competition makes overseas expansion essential. Nakagawa explained, "The Japanese music market is saturated with players and production companies. Just as anime, games, and food culture have achieved global success, it is now a critical moment for the music industry to target the global market." He added that the Korean market serves as an advance base for Japanese music to expand worldwide, noting, "After appearing on Korean music broadcasts, we saw new fan inflows from markets like India and North America, which previously showed little interest."

Yusuke Nakagawa (right), CEO of Asobi System, is speaking at an interview held on the 7th at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul. On the left is Jisoo Moon, CEO of Weverse Japan. Provided by Weverse Company.

Cutie Street performing on stage at the 2026 Weverse Con Festival on the 7th. Photo by HYBE

Weverse Japan is pursuing a customized localization strategy. Since taking office as CEO last year, Moon has cited flexible services tailored to the different growth stages of each agency as a key to success. He explained, "Japanese agencies often operate their own online shops, so we do not force them to use every Weverse function. Our strategy is to provide only the necessary functions, customized to local needs."

Integrating technology that connects live events and online platforms is also a core strategy. As a prime example, Moon cited the on-site pickup service. He said, "To address the long-standing practice of fans waiting in line for two to three hours, we launched a pre-reservation service in Korea in 2019 and have since enhanced our operational capabilities to accommodate the various variables at Japanese venues."

This pickup service was also introduced at U.S. concert venues this year. He noted, "Regardless of country or region, the values that passionate fans seek are similar. We will continue to improve our services by identifying agency requests." As Weverse's influence grows, top-tier artists such as Shingo Katori last year and HYDE, the vocalist of the rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel, in May, have also joined the platform.

While sharing platform technology, the uniqueness of content is thoroughly maintained in the Japanese style. Asobi System engaged in heated discussions over the direction of the music video for Cutie Street’s Korean debut, ultimately deciding to preserve Japanese culture rather than adopt a K-pop production style. Nakagawa stated, "Since the song was made in Japan, we decided to stick to the 'kawaii' (cute) culture of Japan. We maintained Japanese-style composition and included Japanese lyrics in the chorus to spread Harajuku culture globally."

Korean platforms are also learning from the sophisticated operational know-how of Japanese agencies, fostering mutual growth. Moon observed, "I was surprised to see KAWAII LAB. artists strategically use hashtags in Weverse Direct Messages (DM) to increase search traffic. The meticulous attention to detail in live event management, rooted in Japan’s long-standing idol culture, is something Korean platforms can also learn from."

Nakagawa stated, "We will use our collaboration with Weverse as a springboard for further global expansion." Moon emphasized, "We aim to serve as a gateway for a diverse range of artists to reach the world."

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