Five Global Entertainment Industry Leaders Appointed as Special Advisors to the Popular Culture Exchange Committee

by Lee Yiseul

Published 30 Jan.2026 15:04(KST)

Live Nation and Sony Music Leaders Join K-pop Special Committee

(From left) Monte Lipman, Jinyoung Park, Fred Davis, Jay Penske. Provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Popular Culture Exchange Committee announced on January 30 that it has appointed five leading experts in the global popular culture industry as special advisors, officially launching a global cooperation framework for K-culture.

The newly appointed special advisors are Michael Rapino, Chairman of Live Nation; Monte Lipman, Chairman of Republic Records; Shunsuke Muramatsu, Chairman of Sony Music Entertainment Japan; Jay Penske, Chairman of Penske Media Corporation; and Fred Davis, Partner at Raine Group. Their term will last for two years from the date of appointment.

The five special advisors will provide policy advice on expanding Korean popular culture into the global market and on strategies for international cooperation. At the appointment ceremony held the previous day, Jinyoung Park, Co-Chair of the Committee, presented each advisor with an appointment plaque shaped like a traditional Korean drum, engraved with a Hojakdo pattern. The plaque symbolizes the resonance of K-culture spreading worldwide and the beauty of Korean tradition.

Chair Park stated, "Real leaders of the global entertainment industry have joined us to help systematize the opportunities presented to K-pop," adding, "We will do our utmost to ensure that K-pop grows into a platform for global communication."

The Presidential Committee, established on October 1 last year, will use this appointment as a starting point to strengthen strategic cooperation with the global entertainment industry. The aim is not only to build on the success of Korean popular culture but also to create a turning point for a future of popular culture co-created by the world.

Choi Hwi-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Co-Chair of the Committee, urged, "I hope that these global network leaders will play a significant role in expanding the scope of exchange between Korea and the world."