Tag: K-pop

Zior Park Brings Us Into His Universe as the Next RADAR Korea Artist

November 5, 2023

Zior Park RADAR Korea Cover

Known just as much for his visually stunning and artistic music videos as he is for his music, Zior Park is unquestionably one of the most diverse and innovative minds to hit the Korean scene in recent years. With a sound that gives off a merry-go-round Danny Elfman fever dream vibe through a hip-hop lens, the young artist’s fame has been rapidly rising since his 2018 debut.

Now he has reached new heights as this month’s RADAR Korea artist.

RADAR, a global Spotify program, is dedicated to showcasing emerging artists around the world through support, helping them expand their audiences to the global stage. Since its launch in 2020, the RADAR Korea playlist in particular has elevated the best and brightest new talent, like AleXa, ASH ISLAND, NMIXX, SOLE, Huh, and LE SSERAFIM, to the global stage.

As this month’s RADAR artist, Zior will grace the top spot on the RADAR Korea playlist. Additionally, we kicked off an exclusive RADAR party last week that included a live performance and the screening of an official RADAR behind-the-scenes documentary.

Zior first hit the scene in 2018 with his single “Beautiful.” His 2020 album THUNDERBIRD MOTEL and 2022’s SYNDROMEZ showed off a freshly polished dark sound touching on nostalgia, pain, and the experience of living a life that is far from normal. Zior’s latest EPs, WHERE DOES SASQUATCH LIVE? Pt. 1 and the recently dropped WHERE DOES SASQUATCH LIVE? Pt. 2 tell the story of “THE MAN WHO SAW SASQUATCH” and the resulting aftermath. Dripping with quirky child-like playfulness, singles such as “CHRISTIAN,” “QUEEN,” AND “MAGIC!” show off the dark-tinged artistry the South Korean has become most known for. 

“I’m thrilled to share my music with a global audience through Spotify’s RADAR program,” Zior told For the Record. “I will continue to explore my musical world and share exciting music and stories that are uniquely Zior Park.”

Listen to the quirky dark side that is Zior Park and other emerging Korean artists in our RADAR Korea playlist.

At SXSW Sydney, RADAR, EQUAL, and K-Music Take Over Spotify House

October 26, 2023

Blusher performs during the RADAR Artist Showcase & Party at Spotify House during SXSW Sydney on October 19, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images for Spotify)

For the first time in its history, Austin’s iconic South By Southwest (SXSW) festival expanded beyond its Texas watering hole and traveled all the way to Australia for SXSW Sydney. Fashioned as the Asia-Pacific extension of the original event, SXSW Sydney took place over eight days and included a series of creative sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and more. And you can bet Spotify was along for the ride.

We took over Sydney’s Lansdowne Hotel and transformed it into Spotify House across four days. During the day, it was the place to be for panels, networking sessions, and fireside chats. At night, Spotify House became a live-music venue with performances by a stellar line-up of artists from across the Asia-Pacific region. Spotify House was an opportunity to highlight some of our artist-first programs, like RADAR and EQUAL, as well as feature popular genres like K-hip-hop.

On our RADAR

We introduced our latest group of up-and-coming artists during a special RADAR showcase: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Vv Pete, and Blusher. 

“We are so grateful to be Spotify Australia’s new RADAR artist! We cannot believe the amazing support that we have received so far,” exclaimed the band members of Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. “We have absolutely loved seeing new people all over the world listening to us little Teeny Jeanies and we really can’t thank Spotify enough!”

RADAR is our global emerging artist program that supports rising artists, and that includes RADAR Australia and New Zealand, both of which we launched in 2020. Since then, we’ve played a significant role in helping regional artists like PANIA, merci, mercy, CHAII, Genesis Owusu, Youngn Lipz, Baker Boy, grentperez, Larissa Lambert, and Royel Otis cross over into international markets.

The response from a sold-out crowd deeply moved the artists. “We started making music in our bedrooms, and support from Spotify has made it possible to play our music to audiences all over the world,” shared Blusher. “Seeing new listeners connect with our project, being able to share not just our songs but our creative vision through visuals and playlists of the music that inspires us, makes us so excited to bring people into the Blusher world that we’re creating.”

It wasn’t just high-energy performances that amplified RADAR. Hannah Beeching, Spotify’s Lead for Global Music Program RADAR, spoke to industry veterans Andrew Klippel, Artist & Label Manager for Ourness Label, and Mardi Caught, founder of The Annex, a music marketing company, as part of the “RADAR Across Borders” session. “RADAR artists have been added to over 5,000 Spotify playlists since the program launched in 2020, and more than half of these artists have gone on to be added to more playlists in over 10 markets around the world,” Hannah remarked during the talk. 

Spotify’s GM of Asia Pacific, Gautam Talwar, Discusses the Music of a Rapidly Growing Region

October 17, 2023

The Asia Pacific region seems to never sleep on Spotify. From events celebrating Kalye HipHop, our flagship Pinoy hip-hop playlist, to the tenth anniversary of Spotify in Taiwan, we’ve spent a decade developing relevant products and content offerings to deepen our connection with local users. And our work is just getting started.  

This week, Gautam Talwar, Spotify’s General Manager of Asia Pacific, is joining artists and podcasters at SXSW Sydney, the first time the festival has been staged outside of its Austin, Texas, home base. Via panels and performances on everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop— and how we continue to strive for gender equity—we’ll highlight how Spotify helps music move beyond borders at the iconic Lansdowne Hotel.

For the Record sat down with Gautam to learn more about what’s happening in the region. 

What are some factors that make the Asia Pacific region, APAC, a distinct and notable market for Spotify?

Asia Pacific is increasingly central to our global platform as a driving post for global culture—whether music, entertainment, fashion, gaming, technology, or e-commerce. And the region as a whole is one of our fastest-growing regions at Spotify today. There’s three main reasons for that. 

One is that these countries have large youthful populations. You’re talking about one of the largest clusters of Gen Z customers in the world, over 150 million Gen Zs residing in Asia Pacific who are driving this booming creator economy and online music culture. 

The other thing that makes it very unique is diversity. This is our superpower. There’s incredible diversity across languages, religions, and ethnicities. We also see this diversity play out in music and culture. Music is a very central, core part of expression. And since music has an important role of soundtracking daily life in Asia Pacific, music is a reflection of diversity in this region.

The third thing that makes it very unique is artists and creators. We are talking about an incredibly diverse group of genres and artists that are now crossing borders and building an international audience, all thanks to Spotify. We have some great examples of artists born in Asia, who maybe got their footing in Seoul, Sydney, or Jakarta, who have now crossed borders, gone overseas, and built a global audience. 

What trends are emerging globally with music from the region? 

Spotify has evolved from bringing all the world’s audio to Asia Pacific to taking all the audio from Asia Pacific to the world. 

When I joined Spotify about five years ago, the top charts in most of our Asian markets had mostly international music. Today when I look, it’s increasingly local. It’s increasingly K-Pop. And we’re also seeing some regional and hyper-local artists and genres making it to the top. We are seeing artists from all corners of our countries who are working to build an audience on Spotify. We have examples of not only those who are topping charts in their home country, but who are crossing borders to top charts elsewhere.

K-Pop is one of my favorite examples. Traditionally, the home of K-Pop is Seoul. But if you look at the genre’s top markets, it’s actually the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Mexico where streaming is outsizing Korea. Similarly, Mandopop, which was born out of Taiwan and China, ends up traveling to all parts of the world where the Chinese diaspora resides—Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the U.S. We’re seeing this in Aussie music as well, with names like Tones and I, The Kid LAROI, and Troye Sivan finding big audiences in the U.K. and the United States. 

But then there’s country-specific trends, like hyperlocal pop with Javanese Pop in Indonesia and LukThung in Thailand. The countries have rich, vibrant, local ecosystems and creators with big fans on social media. They don’t have to be in a metro region to build a career, but rather could be in any part of the country. Their fandoms help them not only drop music on Spotify but then promote it across social media. Artists care about their expression, they care about their sound, and the story. And what we’re seeing is that great songwriting and storytelling wins. And thanks to the personalization of the Spotify platform and its global distribution, there are numerous examples of artists’ finding an audience outside of their home country. We’re seeing waves. 

Fandoms are a key part of music in the region. How do we embrace and reflect this passion?

Our growth story in the region has always been built on supporting a set of fandoms and really using Spotify as a way for fans to channel and fuel their passions around these fandoms. In many ways, we’ve evolved from marketing to consumers to speaking to and through fans. 

We have a fairly strong presence and investment in K-Pop discovery on the platform. We have a K-Pop hub with a flagship playlist, K-Pop ON! It contains the latest and greatest in K-Pop. It’s what RapCaviar is to hip-hop and Viva Latino is to Latin music. This is for the global K-Pop community of artists and fans. It’s the mothership. It’s where you’ll discover the next big thing on the platform. 

We’ve also evolved this playlist, taking it off-platform to build a strong media network around it, with a YouTube channel, Twitter handle, and Instagram and TikTok distribution. For our fans, it’s really about being very playful and helping create opportunities that let them get closer to their favorite artists. Our storytelling approach is very much speaking to and through fans. They get up close and personal and see artists in their most playful states. And they’re loving it. 

One of the activations we did this year was Bunnyland. NewJeans is a rookie band, a year old, and they’re already commanding an audience as big as BLACKPINK. They are Gen Z, five girls, all incredibly creative and musically strong.  For their debut album release, we created an activation involving a real-life immersive fan experience for called Bunnyland. We had about 100,000 attendees across Bunnyland activations in Seoul, Jakarta, as well as Manila and Tokyo and heavily supported their U.S. debut at Lollapalooza.  So for us it’s about showing up every day, both with playlists and with iconic big-beat moments. 

We’ve also got ideas for how to do this with T-Pop, particularly with the strength of the Boys’ Love fandom, and in Australia, with A1 hip-hop—Aussie hip-hop. This subculture is very strong locally, and I’m very excited about how we’ve taken it to the main stage. 

How about podcasting? 

This is an exciting region for podcasts due to its history of talk radio. Today, markets like Australia, Indonesia, and India are some of the top markets for podcast listening. There’s been a lot of early adopters in this market, especially in Indonesia and the Philippines. When Anchor, now Spotify for Podcasters, launched, we saw radio personalities and social media personalities rally to it as an easy means to express themselves and get onto an audio platform. That has increasingly been going mainstream since.

In Indonesia and the Philippines we’re also seeing a whole new breed of creators who believe in long form as a means of storytelling. (There are some really big commutes in those countries, and podcasts play a role there). The big genres are comedy, horror, and crime, and the audiences tend to be more educated, more affluent, more curious about what’s out in the zeitgeist. Love and relationships is another one—people can use podcasts as a format to talk about subject matter that the mainstream wouldn’t talk about. 

Australia, too, has a very rich podcast ecosystem. We are a lead player there with a thriving ad sales operation. We have a number of original and licensed tentpole shows, both Aussie and American, that really do well. We also just announced the introduction in Australia of our premium audiobook offer. This makes available at least 150,000 audiobooks as part of Spotify Premium subscriptions—something that’s going to be huge in the market. 

What are you most excited to bring to SXSW Sydney?

I’m excited about the platform South By presents for us. It’s at the cutting edge of tech and innovation. It’s one of the most exciting congregations of the sharpest creative minds in the industry. And what I’m excited about is how we are really showcasing our diversity as Spotify, and the things that we are really passionate about, be it our EQUAL or RADAR programs, and how they elevate discovery for artists. 

I’m excited about showcasing artists from multiple genres, everyone from MILLI, one of my favorite Thai hip-hop stars, to, you know, some of the most exciting acts in Korean music and Korean hip-hop.

It’s interesting that Sydney is where the first edition of South By is happening outside of Austin. Sydney is home to musicians, artists, and designers, and there’s a lot of commonalities between Sydney and Austin. I’m hoping to see this become a returning franchise that we can become a part of. 

Hear more from Gautam about our presence at SXSW Sydney on the Spotify: For the Record podcast.

Share Your Top 5 BTS Songs in Our Latest In-App Experience

June 12, 2023

Over the last decade, BTS has become a global cultural phenomenon, putting K-Pop on the map worldwide. The group has fueled—and is fueled by—one of the most enthusiastic fan bases in the world. Each listener has their own special relationship with the band’s music. So to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary, Spotify and BTS curated a special love letter experience: My Top 5: BTS Songs. 

This interactive experience lets listeners curate their personal favorite songs from a selection of BTS’s discography, then share their picks with friends on social media. BTS worked with Spotify to curate a special selection that celebrates much of their collective discography from the past decade.*

“Each step of our journey together has been unique and has sounded different along the way,” the band shared. “We hope many people enjoy this new experience with Spotify’s My Top 5: BTS Songs and share their favorites with us.”

Here’s how to enjoy My Top 5: BTS:

  1. Make sure you’re in one of the 48 markets where the experience is live** and ensure your iPhone is up-to-date with version 8.8.40.x. 
  2. Visit https://spotify.com/top5 on your device.
  3. The experience will present a curated selection of BTS’s songs. Select your five favorites. Then drag and reorder them in the visual display to create your top list. 
  4. You’ll receive your picks in a visual sharecard. Then, choose a sharecard backdrop with the option to highlight your BTS group bias—aka your favorite group member. 
  5. Finally, share your personalized digital card with your selections and compare with your friends on social media using #spotifymytop5.

My Top 5: BTS Songs marks the next iteration of this interactive experience on Spotify that follows My Top 5 moments with other iconic artists, including The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, and ROSALÍA. Visit https://spotify.com/top5 to get started. 

*The available songs to select from do not include the full BTS catalog or songs by other artists where BTS is featured

**The My Top 5: BTS Songs experience will be available in 48 markets: U.S., Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Poland, Turkey, U.K., Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Kuwait, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Botswana, Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay; and 15 languages: English, English-GB, French-CA, French, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Arabic, Spanish-LATAM, Korean, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, German, and Bahasa Indonesia.

LE SSERAFIM Takes Its Daring Brand of K-Pop to the World as Our Latest RADAR Korea Group

June 7, 2023

From the very start, K-Pop girl group LE SSERAFIM made it known they would stand at the top. Consisting of members Sakura, Chaewon, Yunjin, Kazuha, and Eunchae, the group has garnered global attention with its unwavering spirit and infectious sound. This is even evident in its name—an anagram of the phrase “I’m fearless”—which serves as a mantra to represent the members’ self-confidence and unbreakable poise.

Now the LE SSERAFIM is taking the next step toward pop superstardom as RADAR Korea’s newest featured act.

RADAR, a global Spotify program, is dedicated to showcasing emerging and talented artists around the world through support and resources that help selected artists expand their global audiences. As part of the RADAR program, Spotify is providing promotional support to LE SSERAFIM through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and billboard placements. We also worked with the group on a RADAR mini-documentary, which you can watch in full below or catch some footage on the Clips featured in our RADAR Korea playlist.

LE SSERAFIM marked its arrival last year with its debut EP FEARLESS and quickly followed that up with a second EP, ANTIFRAGILE. Last month, exactly one year after its first release, the group released UNFORGIVEN, its debut studio album that further showcases the group’s determination to pave its own path. 

Since then, the group’s most-streamed songs globally include: 

“We deeply appreciate the opportunity to connect more closely with our fans around the world through Spotify’s RADAR program,” said Chaewon. “We look forward to continuing to challenge ourselves by sharing music and telling stories that are uniquely LE SSERAFIM.”

Since its launch in 2020, RADAR Korea has supported various emerging Korean artists—including AleXa, ASH ISLAND, NMIXX, SOLE, and Huh—and introduced them to Spotify listeners around the world.

Check out the hottest sounds from these artists and more with the RADAR Korea playlist.

대한민국의 다채로운 음악씬, 스포티파이 자체 제작 팟캐스트 에피소드로 만나보세요

February 8, 2023

모두들 K팝이라는 장르에 대해 들어본 적은 있을 겁니다. 세계에서 7번째로 큰 음악 시장인 한국에서 탄생한 K팝은, 에너지 넘치면서 화려하고 역동적인 것으로 이미 알려져 있죠. 특히 K팝의 세계적인 성공으로 한국의 다양한 음악 장르 뿐만 아니라 ‘오징어 게임’ ‘기생충’ 등 대한민국에 기점을 둔 문화 · 콘텐츠의 여러 분야 역시 널리 확산되고 있는 추세이기도 합니다. 

스포티파이 자체 제작 팟캐스트 ‘Discover This(디스커버 디스)’의 이번 에피소드는, 특별히 스포티파이 한국 론칭 2주년을 맞아 K팝을 넘어 한국의 컬러풀한 음악씬을 전 세계에 소개하고자 합니다. 

한국어와 영어 두 가지 언어로 공개된 이번 에피소드의 한국어 버전은, R&B 싱어송라이터 JUNNY(주니)가 단독 진행을, 영어 버전은 기존 진행자인 리아 팔미에리(Lea Palmieri)가 함께 진행을 맡았는데요. 타이거JK, 윤미래, 박재범, 다이나믹듀오, pH-1, 신스 등 한국힙합의 레전드 및 라이징 아티스트와의 인터뷰부터 K-R&B, 록, OST, 웹툰, 그리고 트로트 등 – 다양한 이야기를 담고 있습니다. 뿐만 아니라 이번 팟캐스트 에피소드를 통해 박상욱 스포티파이 코리아 매니징 디렉터의 인터뷰 역시 만나볼 수 있습니다.

스포티파이는 한국 런칭 후 지난 2년 간 글로벌 K팝 사이트 ‘K-Pop ON! Track(K팝 온 트랙)’ 론칭, 글로벌 한국힙합 플레이리스트 KrOWN의 리브랜딩, 한국 팟캐스트 서비스 개시 등 다양한 활동을 진행해왔습니다.

박상욱 매니징 디렉터는 “K팝의 태생지이자 세계적인 파급력을 지닌 다채로운 문화 콘텐츠를 보유한 한국에서 스포티파이의 여정은 여전히 초기 단계에 있다”며, “스포티파이는 앞으로도 한국의 아티스트, 음악, 크리에이터, 콘텐츠, 문화를 더 많은 글로벌 리스너와 연결할 수 있도록 지속적으로 노력할 계획”이라고 전했습니다.

더 자세한 내용을 아래에서 확인해보세요!

Two Years Into Spotify’s Launch in South Korea, the K-Wave Is Here To Stay

February 8, 2023

Album art from spotify milestones in korea over the past year

You’ve probably heard of a little genre called K-Pop, the energetic and highly danceable phenomenon that migrated from South Korea to the world. K-Pop’s success—Korea is the seventh-largest music market on the planet—has not only resulted in a global export of music from the country, but in other pop culture sensations, too. Squid Game and Parasite, anyone?

In the latest episode of Spotify: Discover This, our host Lea Palmieri is joined by Korean Canadian singer-songwriter Junny for a deep dive into the K-Music scene beyond K-Pop. The pair speaks to some of the biggest names in K-Hip-hop, including Tiger JK, Yoon Mirae, Dynamicduo, Jay Park, pH–1, and SINCE. From there, they move into K-R&B, K-Rock, and Original Sound Tracks (OSTs). Also appearing: webtoons, a musical foray into the metaverse, and even Trot. We’ve released the episode in both English and Korean.

The episode arrives just as Spotify marks our second anniversary in Korea; it also features an interview with Spotify Korea Managing Director David Park. 

“Spotify is still in its early stage in Korea, which not only is the birthplace of K-Pop, but also the hub of rich cultural contents with global impact,” says David. “We’ll continue to pave the way by connecting more Korean artists, music, creators, contents, and culture with more listeners worldwide.”

And Spotify has had plenty to celebrate from Korea over the past two years. From K-Pop On! Track and our Korean hip-hop playlist KrOWN, as well as the addition of podcasts, there’s a bit of  K-Culture for everyone. Take a look.

Listen to the K-Wave episode of Spotify: Discover This in Korean here. 

K-pop Quintet NewJeans Commands Attention as Spotify’s EQUAL Ambassador of the Month

February 3, 2023

K-pop newjeans equal cover art

Jeans have been a beloved wardrobe staple for generations—something that rising K-pop group NewJeans knew all too well when adopting their name. The group set out to create crowd-pleasing songs that you can’t help but keep on your playlists and put on daily. They’re off to a rocking start: With their August 2022 debut of three singles, including “Attention,” they charted on Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs U.S. chart, a first for any newly debuted K-pop group. 

Composed of MINJI, HANNI, DANIELLE, HAERIN, and HYEIN, all singers who hail from Korea and beyond, NewJeans is the first release from ADOR, an independent label under HYBE led by MIN HEE JIN. Creating authentic music that radiates a youthful spirit, the group aspires to push the boundaries of the K-pop scene. (You can hear more from them in K-Pop ON! Track.)

In January, NewJeans joined Spotify’s EQUAL Global Music Program as our ambassador of the month. EQUAL aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying and celebrating the work of women creators around the world. NewJeans’ music was featured heavily on the EQUAL Global playlist throughout the month. 

The newcomers were humbled by the love and support they received worldwide following their first EP, New Jeans. In OMG, NewJeans’ very first winter release, they tackle relationships, attraction, and devotion in a deeper way.

For the Record asked the EQUAL artist to fill in the blanks and learn more about their creative process and inspirations.

The artists who have most inspired me are _____.

There’s no particular artist that I can pick, since I want to get a lot of inspiration and learn from all the artists. (해린 HAERIN)

One piece of advice I’d give other women artists is _____ .

Always face yourself and be proud of yourself!! (민지 MINJI)

One notable moment in my career so far is _____ .

Our debut! (혜인 HYEIN)

My creative process consists of _____ .

Inspiration, forming ideas and visualizing them, then through trial and error building the pieces to create what I want!! (다니엘 DANIELLE)

My girl-power anthem is _____ .

Would probably be most of the Little Mix songs!! But if I had to choose, “Hair” by Little Mix!!  (하니 HANNI)

Discover more women artists climbing the charts with our EQUAL Global playlist.

Watch 6 Iconic Korean Hip-Hop Artists Explain How the Genre Has Captured the Hearts of Fans Around the World

December 13, 2022

In South Korea, hip-hop has not only evolved into an essential part of the music scene, but also a big part of the country’s pop culture. While K-Pop has been taking over the world, Korean hip-hop has also started to gain international popularity, with K-hip-hop artists expanding their presence in the global market. With the growing interest from fans and listeners worldwide, Spotify launched KrOWN in September of this year, our official global Korean hip-hop playlist (formerly known as K-Hip-Hop +82). KrOWN serves as a bridge between K-hip-hop and music fans around the world, ultimately elevating Korean hip-hop artists and culture. 

To dive further into the genre, uncover what makes K-hip-hop unique to the world, and explore the music’s roots, Spotify sat down with some of the most iconic artists in the scene.

Meet some of the key players who have propelled the growth of K-hip-hop:  

  • Tiger JK: The history of hip-hop in South Korea is generally considered to have begun in the 1990s with iconic figures like Tiger JK helping the genre become mainstream. Often referred to as the godfather of K-hip-hop, the rapper was also a founding member of the group Drunken Tiger. “Back then, every day was like war, and finding a place to perform was almost impossible. But it was so much fun,” Tiger JK recalls. “And the best trophy for us at the time was having three or four fans walk up to us in the subway and share which lyrics and rhymes they liked about our song.”
  • Yoon Mirae: Yoon debuted in 1997 and is recognized as an icon in Korea. She runs the record label Feel Ghood Music with her husband, Tiger JK. “If you are a fan of hip-hop, you can’t help but be a fan of K-hip-hop,” she says. “A lot of artists in Korea are just really that good, and a lot of MCs—especially people like Tiger JK—stay grounded to their roots and want to show their love and appreciation for the Korean culture we came from… I think people recognize that.”

  • Dynamicduo (consisting of CHOIZA and Gaeko): The K-hip-hop scene began to coalesce further in the 2000s, as the genre’s top artists continuously challenged themselves to bring the sound forward. In 2006, the iconic group Dynamicduo established hip-hop record label Amoeba Culture, which has since become a home to various prominent artists.

  • Jay Park: Fast-forward to the present, and Jay Park—rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur—believes the overall popularity of Korean culture around the world has benefitted K-hip-hop as well. Having started his career in the K-Pop entertainment business, Jay Park is now a renowned multifaceted talent and one of the most streamed Korean hip-hop artists worldwide.  

  • The Quiett: The Quiett holds a strong presence in South Korea’s hip-hop scene with over two decades of experience in the space. A rapper, composer, and record producer widely known for founding major hip-hop record labels (including Illionaire Records and Ambition Musik), the artist thinks back to when he first started as a rapper and to the exciting present of the scene, now filled with passionate, unique talents. 

Not only has the genre become a significant part of the music culture in South Korea, but it has also emerged as a form of entertainment, including TV shows, festivals, and films, enjoyed across many generations. 

In addition to the campaign video available on KrOWN (via Spotify Clips) and Spotify’s official global YouTube channel, starting mid December, the KrOWN playlist will be taken over each week by one of the artists featured in the video. Through the KrOWN playlist takeover campaign, Yoon Mirae and Tiger JK, Dynamicduo, The Quiett, and Jay Park will each select 10 of their favorite tracks to be added at the top of the KrOWN playlist for one full week. Interviews of each artist will also be unveiled on the platform.

Spotify Fans in South Korea Can Now Enjoy More Than 4 Million Podcasts From Local and Global Creators

October 19, 2022

Lead image of shows included in Spotify Korea's podcast launch

In just under two years, Spotify has established itself as a destination for Korean music fans and artists through playlists like K-Pop ON! (온) and KrOWN. Now we want to do the same for podcasts. 

Starting today, Spotify Korea listeners will have access to more than 4 million podcasts worldwide. This includes global podcasts like TED Talks Daily, TED Business, BBC’s Global News Podcast, and the New York Times’ The Daily; Spotify Originals like Batman Unburied, Kim Kardashian’s The System, and Meghan Markle’s Archetypes; and Spotify Exclusives like Myths Of The World and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy.

We’re also launching a podcast hub exclusively for South Korean listeners. This one-stop destination can help Spotify Korea listeners find the perfect podcast through personalized playlists and spotlights on local content. Some of the regional podcasts the hub will highlight include Confidentiality by Vivo (comedy), Leestar Radio (sports), Sun Kim’s Relentless World History (educational), Weird Mysterious Stories by Braden (true crime), Daebak Show by Eric Nam (music), Check It Out (arts & entertainment), The Psychiatrists (lifestyle & health), Intelligence Play by Jiyoon Kim (news & politics), Two Women in Talk (story), and more. 

In addition to providing new content for listeners, we’ve also localized our podcast creation tool, Anchor, in Korean. This will make it easier for Korean creators to openly record, edit, and distribute podcasts to Spotify and other services in minutes—all for free.

To learn more about what all this means for the South Korean podcast market, For the Record spoke with four of South Korea’s renowned creators: Eun-i Song, Eric Nam, Jaekuk Lee, and the Leestar Team.


Eun-i Song

Eun-i Song is the founder and CEO of Content Lab VIVO, as well as Media Lab Seesaw, a content creation and management company. She is also a household name in South Korea, where she is highly acclaimed as a comedian and for her pioneering content creation and distribution work with VIVO. Her podcast, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, is now available on Spotify.

What do you like most about podcasts?

Since podcasts are not organized by broadcasting companies and do not require a large amount of production costs, the fact that anyone can create their own program is the biggest attraction. From the producer’s perspective, podcasts provide room to take risks with ideas that could not be done in broadcast, allowing for more diverse and creative content. 

How do you think the podcast market and listenership has changed since 2015, when your show, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, first launched?

Photo of Eun-i Song posing against a white backdrop

Eun-i Song

When our podcast, Song Eun-i and Kim Sook’s Confidentiality, first started, the majority of popular podcasts were focused on politics. Now it seems like podcast genres are branching out to include entertainment, economy, and self help–related content. Similarly, the podcast market is increasingly looking at the older generations—who are familiar with radio culture and political content—and has expanded to include content pioneers who are bringing a diversity of content that hasn’t been given much podcast attention in the past.

Looking at the local entertainment industry in general, what kind of topics or content for audio/podcast services do you expect to gather popularity in the future?

I think the biggest advantage of audio and podcast content is that it allows people to multitask. I’ve heard that the listeners of our podcast like to do so while commuting, working in the office, doing design work, or working in the hospital. And now more audio content such as audio dramas and audio movies are in active production, and a lot of entertainment audio content with broadcasters is in the works. Listeners are selecting and enjoying content according to their individual tastes, and their preferences are constantly changing. Podcasts have also diversified alongside listeners’ tastes, and I hope that eclectic, genre-defying content will be introduced in the near future. 

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

If a variety of different worldwide content flows through a global podcast platform such as Spotify to South Korea, the range of choices for local listeners will expand and I think the overall pie of the industry will also increase. I expect the podcast market to grow bigger and attract more creators as the demand grows.


Eric Nam

Spotify podcast cover art for the Daebak Show

A multitalented veteran in the entertainment industry with fans around the world, Eric Nam is an ever-evolving artist, a singer-songwriter, a K-Pop artist, a CEO, and a podcaster. His globally popular podcast, Daebak Show, is now available on Spotify.

You introduced K-Pop as a genre and its artists through your Daebak Show. Was there a specific reason as to why you started the podcast?

Originally, I wanted to create content for international K-Pop fans because they give so much love to Korea and to K-Pop artists. After meeting English-speaking K-Pop fans, I thought it might be a more accessible way for fans to hear behind-the-scenes stories, learn more about Korean music and culture, and also get to know some of their favorite artists through stories and interviews they’ve never heard before. In addition, I’ve always wanted to host my own talk show of sorts, perhaps because of my background in interviewing. We thought that putting a podcast together would be a great way to start without overcomplicating the process.

Portrait of Eric Nam posing in front of a mirror

Eric Nam

What’s one tip you’d share about Spotify’s podcast creation tool as a podcast creator yourself?

Spotify is such an amazing platform, particularly for international reach, and it provides incredible analytics so you can track where your content gets the most engagement. 

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

I’m very excited for Spotify to finally be launching their podcast service in Korea because I’m personally a huge fan of the format. They’re engaging, entertaining, and educational in so many ways. I hope that Spotify users will be able to find not only their favorite songs, but also their favorite podcasts on the platform, and that they give Daebak Show a listen! Please follow us! 

What are some of your favorite podcasts, apart from your Daebak Show?

The Daily by the NYTimes, The Tablo Podcast, and Smartless.


Jaekuk Lee (of Momocon)

Spotify podcast cover art for Sun Kim's Relentless World History

Jaekuk Lee is the general manager and founding member of web and audio content company Momocon (an abbreviation of ‘more than mobile contents”). As an award-winning broadcast writer, he has extensive experience in the South Korean broadcasting industry, including radio. Momocon’s podcast, Sun Kim’s Relentless World History, is now available on Spotify.

What do you like most about podcasts?

I wish I could answer this with the local meme that says “faster than others, different from others” as podcasts provide way faster and more accurate content than radio broadcasts. In addition to allowing listeners to multitask, they are more accessible and offer more diversified information—even compared to video content.

You’ve previously produced numerous memorable podcasts. As a producer, what do you think is the most important factor podcasters should consider when creating a show?

Headshot of Jaekuk Lee Smiling

Jaekuk Lee

I have experimented a lot with podcast content and come to the conclusion that “fun” is the most important factor. After all, entertainment takes up consumers’ time, and I do not think anything without fun can appeal to them. Whether the content is historical, therapeutic, or informational, there must be something “fun” . . . followed by the content’s objective.

You made a big hit with the show Sun Kim’s Relentless World History. How did you come across creating short-form audio content on history?

Everyone loves history-based content, but this is especially true for Koreans. The way history can be interpreted in many different ways also makes it a great topic for discussion. Based on my past experiences as a radio writer, breaking news that would wake people up and short stories that are easy to understand are effective for morning broadcasts. Meanwhile, somewhat comfortable, longer stories that don’t need clear understanding are suitable for nighttime broadcasts to put listeners to sleep. I produced Sun Kim’s Relentless World History with hopes to provide a segment of history that is fun and easy to approach on the way to and from work. I believe that an interpretation of history could also become meme-worthy if it is fun.

In terms of content format and genre, what innovative trends do you think podcasters need to pay attention to moving forward?

I would say audio dramas and audio movies. Sound is the first form of entertainment humans encounter, and we have cultivated our imagination by listening to our parents’ voices in the womb. While the podcast market has grown through informative content so far, it should take a bigger step toward drama and storytelling through audio. While video content about astronauts on Mars would have to show Mars through the lens, an audio drama could let one’s imagination loose with the simple statement that an astronaut has arrived on Mars.

With Spotify’s opening up of podcasts to listeners in South Korea, what are your expectations for Spotify?

I’m hoping that people can be in touch with a wide range of genres and formats, which can, in turn, activate our national podcast industry. I’m thinking that global podcasts that scored a hit worldwide—in particular, audio dramas and documentaries—will actively flow in through Spotify, giving listeners more variety and fun. I hope it will be an opportunity for creative people to try more diverse things.


The Leestar Team

Spotify podcast cover art for Leestar Radio

Jongyoon Park and Jooheon Lee, known together as the Leestar Team, are CEOs of the new-media company Lab Choo Jong Yoon. The pair is famous for their soccer-focused video and podcast content, which has attracted a fan base of hardcore sports fans in South Korea. Their podcast, Leestar Radio, is now available on Spotify.

You have achieved success in the sports podcasting world with the rare distinction of having worked as a professional commentator and caster in the past. Could you tell us more about the state of sports podcasting in South Korea?

Photo of Leestar Team members Jongyoon Park eating a corndog and Jeonhoon Lee smiling and holding a keyboard like a guitar

The Leestar Team

The sports sector makes up a relatively small portion of the podcast market. Generally, politics, culture, and entertainment are the dominant genres, and they seem to be preferred by listeners because they are easily relatable. Meanwhile, sports podcasts are often found and listened to by those who are specifically interested in sports. This niche allows sports podcasts to secure a fixed fan base.

What do you like most about podcasts?

Podcasts have a more relaxed vibe compared to regular radio programs. Also, people can listen to podcasts at any time and pause them whenever they want, unlike radio. Moreover, anyone can record and share their podcast content with others.

팟캐스트 서비스 오픈 기념, 스포티파이가 선보이는 한국 크리에이터들과의 인터뷰

October 19, 2022

Lead image of shows included in Spotify Korea's podcast launch

스포티파이는 지난해 2월 선보인 음원 스트리밍 서비스에 이어 바로 오늘, 한국에 팟캐스트 서비스를 시작했습니다. 이제 국내 스포티파이 청취자들은 8천만개 이상의 음원과 더불어 전 세계 4백만 개 이상의 글로벌 팟캐스트 카탈로그를 이용할 수 있게 됐습니다.

한국 팟캐스트 서비스 개시에 따라 스포티파이는 국내 청취자들을 위한 팟캐스트 허브를 추가했으며, 이를 통해 다채로운 주제 및 카테고리별 손쉬운 프로그램 탐색이 가능해졌습니다. 지금 바로 팟캐스트 허브에서 다음과 같이 다양한 콘텐츠를 만나볼 수 있습니다.

뿐만 아니라 크리에이터들을 위해 스포티파이가 보유한 세계 최대 팟캐스트 제작 및 유통 플랫폼인 ‘앵커(Anchor)’의 한국어 서비스 역시 지원됩니다. 앵커는 쉽고 빠르게 팟캐스트를 제작하고 편집하여 다양한 플랫폼에 배포할 수 있도록 해줄 뿐만 아니라, 청취자에 대한 데이터와 인사이트도 제공합니다. 앵커의 이 모든 기능은 무료로 누구나 자유롭게 사용할 수 있습니다.

스포티파이의 팟캐스트 서비스 개시가 한국 팟캐스트 시장에 어떤 의미를 가져오고, 또 어떤 영향을 미칠까요? 이에 대해 자세한 이야기를 나누기 위해 한국의 인기 팟캐스트 크리에이터이자 다양한 분야에서 활발히 활동 중인 송은이, 에릭 남, 모모콘 이재국 본부장, 그리고 이스타팀(박종훈, 이주헌 랩추종윤 공동 대표이사)과 인터뷰를 진행했습니다. 이들의 이야기를 확인해 보세요!


송은이

Spotify podcast cover art for confidentiality

송은이는 콘텐츠 제작사 ‘컨텐츠랩 비보’와 매니지먼트사 ‘미디어랩 시소’의 대표다. 한국에서 인기 코미디언으로 명성을 이어가고 있으며, ‘컨텐츠랩 비보’를 설립하여 콘텐츠 제작 및 배포를 선도한 선구자로도 높은 평가를 받고 있다. 송은이가 진행하는 ‘송은이 김숙의 비밀보장’은 스포티파이에서 청취할 수 있다. 

팟캐스트의 매력이 무엇이라고 생각하시나요?

팟캐스트는 방송사에 편성되어 있지 않고, 비교적 큰 제작비가 들지 않아 사실상 누구나 본인의 방송을 만들수 있는 것이 가장 큰 매력이라고 생각합니다. 제작자 입장에서는 방송에서 하지 못했던 새로운 아이디어를 시도해 볼 수 있어 더 다양하고 기발한 콘텐츠들이 나올 수 있는 것 같습니다. 

2015년 ‘비밀보장’을 시작한 이후 2022년 현재까지 팟캐스트 시장과 청취자가 어떻게 변화했나요?

Portrait of Eun-i Song posing against a white backdrop

Eun-i Song

2015년 송은이 김숙의 비밀보장을 시작할 당시 인기 팟캐스트는 대부분 정치나 시사 콘텐츠였던 데 반해, 현재는 예능, 경제, 자기개발 등 장르가 다양화되는 추세인 것 같습니다. 청취자 또한 초기에는 정치 콘텐츠와 라디오 문화에 익숙한 일부 기성세대들이었다면 현재는 영상, 책, SNS 등 주류 문화뿐만 아니라 아직 주목받지 않은 새롭고 다양한 것을 찾아 나서는 콘텐츠 선구자들로 확장된 것 같고요.

앞으로 어떤 주제의 오디오 콘텐츠 및 팟캐스트가 인기를 끌 것이라고 예상하시나요?

팟캐스트를 비롯한 오디오 콘텐츠의 이점은 청취를 하면서 다른 일을 할 수 있는 것 아닐까 싶습니다. 실제로 비밀보장 청취자들도 운전이나 출퇴근하는 이동시간을 활용하거나 업무 중에도 팟캐스트를 듣는 것으로 알고 있습니다. 현재 오디오 드라마나 오디오 영화의 제작도 활발해졌고, 방송인을 섭외한 예능형 오디오 콘텐츠도 많이 만들어지고 있습니다. 

많은 사람들이 각자 취향에 따라 콘텐츠를 선별하여 즐기고 있고 취향이 다양화되고 있기도 합니다. 팟캐스트 또한 한 가지 장르에 치우치지 않고 더욱 다채로운 콘텐츠가 많이 나오면 좋겠다는 생각입니다.

스포티파이의 국내 팟캐스트 서비스 시작에 따라 기대하는 점이 있나요?

스포티파이와 같은 글로벌 팟캐스트 플랫폼을 통해 다양한 글로벌 콘텐츠가 유입되면 팟캐스트 콘텐츠 이용자로서 선택의 폭이 넓어지고, 이로 인해 이용자 파이도 늘어나지 않을까 싶습니다. 수요 증가에 따라 팟캐스트 시장이 더 커지고 크리에이터도 더 많아지길 기대합니다.


에릭 남

에릭 남은 아티스트, 싱어송라이터, CEO이자 팟캐스트 크리에이터로 활동 중이다. 다재다능한 면모로 전 세계 팬들의 사랑을 받는 에릭 남의 팟캐스트 ‘대박쇼’는 스포티파이에서 들을 수 있다.

‘대박쇼’에서 다양한 K팝 음악과 아티스트를 소개하셨는데, K팝 위주의 토크쇼를 진행하게 된 계기나 이유가 무엇인가요?

글로벌 K팝 팬들이 한국과 K팝 아티스트들에게 너무나도 큰 관심을 보이고 사랑을 주기 때문에 그들을 위한 콘텐츠를 만들고 싶었습니다. 그러던 중 영어권의 K팝 팬들과 만나게 됐고, 이들에게 팟캐스트가 K팝 업계의 비하인드 스토리를 듣고, 한국의 음악과 문화를 배우고, 또 새로운 이야기와 인터뷰를 통해 좋아하는 아티스트에 대해 더 알아갈 수 있는 통로가 될 수 있겠다는 생각이 들었습니다. 저는 인터뷰 진행 경험이 있기도 해 항상 저만의 토크쇼를 진행하고 싶기도 했죠. 팟캐스트 제작은 이 모든 것을 이루기 위한 가장 좋은 수단이라고 생각했습니다.

Photo of Eric Nam posing in front of a mirror

Eric Nam

팟캐스트 크리에이터로서 스포티파이의 팟캐스트 제작 툴의 활용법이나 팁이 있다면 공유해 주세요.

스포티파이는 자신의 팟캐스트 콘텐츠가 어디에서 가장 인기를 얻고 있는지 등 청취자에 대한 분석 데이터를 제공해주는 훌륭한 플랫폼으로, 특히 글로벌 청취자 확보에 매우 유용합니다. 

스포티파이의 국내 팟캐스트 서비스 시작에 따라 기대하는 점이 있나요?

스포티파이 플랫폼의 열렬한 팬으로서 스포티파이가 드디어 한국에 팟캐스트 서비스를 시작했다니 너무 기쁩니다. 스포티파이의 팟캐스트는 다방면으로 매력적이고 흥미롭고 또 배울 점이 많이 있습니다. 스포티파이 청취자들이 스포티파이에서 좋아하는 음악뿐만 아니라 팟캐스트도 찾아보고, ‘대박쇼’도 들어봐 주시길 바랍니다. 저희 팟캐스트도 팔로우 해주세요!

본인의 ‘대박쇼’ 외에 좋아하는 팟캐스트를 소개해 주세요.

The Daily by NYTimes, 에픽하이 타블로의 The Tablo Podcast, Smartless 등이 있습니다. 


이재국

Spotify podcast cover art for Sun Kim's Relentless World History

뉴미디어 예능 및 오디오 콘텐츠 제작사 모모콘(More than Mobile Contents)의 창립 멤버인 이재국 본부장은 라디오 및 방송 작가로 활동하며 한국 방송 업계에서 명성을 쌓았다. 모모콘의 팟캐스트 콘텐츠 ‘썬킴의 세계사 완전정복’은 스포티파이에서 만나볼 수 있다.

팟캐스트의 매력이 무엇이라고 생각하시나요?

“누구보다 빠르게, 남들과는 다르게” 요즘 유행하는 밈으로 대답을 대신할 수 있을 것 같습니다. 팟캐스트는 지상파 라디오 방송과 비교했을 때 콘텐츠 속도와 정확도 면에서 압도적입니다. 동영상과 달리 멀티태스킹이 가능할 뿐만 아니라, 훨씬 편하고 다양한 정보를 얻을 수 있다는 점도 큰 매력이라고 생각합니다.

훌륭하고도 다채로운 팟캐스트를 다수 제작한 제작자의 관점에서 팟캐스터가 프로그램을 만들 때 가장 중요하게 고려해야 할 점이 있을까요?

Headshot of Jaekuk Lee smiling

Jaekuk Lee

그동안 콘텐츠에 대한 다양한 시도를 많이 해봤는데 역시 가장 중요한 건 재미인것 같습니다. 엔터테인먼트는 결국 소비자의 시간을 뺏는 건데 재미가 없으면 그 무엇도 소비자에게 다가가지 못합니다. 역사, 힐링, 정보 등 무엇을 전달하든 결국 콘텐츠에 있어 제일 먼저 고려해야 할 건 “재미”고, 그 다음은 왜 만들어야 하는지라는 “목적”이라고 생각합니다.

‘썬킴의 세계사 완전정복’이 크게 히트했는데, 숏폼 오디오 역사 콘텐츠를 만들게 된 배경은 무엇인가요?

역사는 모두가 좋아하고 특히 우리나라 사람들이 좋아하는 콘텐츠입니다. 역사에 대한 해석도 다양하기 때문에 다른 사람들과 토론하기에도 좋은 아이템입니다. 저는 라디오 작가를 오랫동안 했는데 아침 방송에서는 잠이 깰만한 소식을 한번에 알아들을 수 있게 단문으로 쓰는 것이 효과적입니다. 반면 심야 라디오에서는 마음 편한 이야기를 무슨 말인지 정확히 잘 몰라도 되는 장문으로 써야 청취자들이 편하게 잠자리에 들 수 있습니다. “썬킴의 세계사 완전정복”은 출퇴근길에 쉽고 재밌게 접할 수 있는 역사 이야기 한 토막을 제공하겠다는 취지에서 제작하게 됐습니다. 재밌게 만들면 역사에 대한 해석도 “밈”이 될 수 있으니까요.

콘텐츠 형식이나 장르 면에서 앞으로 팟캐스터들이 눈여겨봐야 할 혁신적인 트렌드가 있을까요?

오디오 드라마와 오디오 영화라고 생각합니다. 소리는 인간이 최초로 접하게 되는 엔터테인먼트로 우리는 뱃속에서부터 부모님의 목소리를 들으며 상상력을 키워왔습니다. 팟캐스트 시장이 그동안 정보 콘텐츠로 많은 발전을 했다면 이제는 오디오로 전하는 무궁무진한 드라마와 스토리텔링의 세계로 또 한번 발전해야 한다고 생각합니다. 비디오는 화성에 간 사람을 촬영해서 보여줘야 하지만 오디오 드라마는 “나는 지금 화성에 도착했다”는 한마디로 무한한 상상력을 응집시킬 수 있습니다. 

스포티파이의 국내 팟캐스트 서비스 시작에 따라 기대하는 점이 있나요?

청취자들이 다양한 장르와 형식의 콘텐츠를 접할 수 있길 바라고, 그 덕분에 한국 팟캐스트 시장도 활성화 됐으면 하는 바람입니다. 특히 오디오 드라마나 다큐멘터리 등 글로벌 히트를 기록한 팟캐스트가 적극적으로 유입되어 청취자들에게 다채로운 재미를 주고, 창작하는 사람들에게는 더 다양한 시도를 할 수 있는 계기가 됐으면 좋겠습니다.


이스타 팀

Spotify cover art for the Leestar Radio podcast

‘이스타 팀’으로 알려진 박종윤과 이주헌은 뉴미디어 회사 랩추종윤의 공동 대표로, 축구를 주제로 한 영상 및 팟캐스트를 제작하여 한국 스포츠 팬들의 마음을 사로잡았다. 이스타 팀의 팟캐스트 ‘이스타 라디오’는 스포티파이에서 만나볼 수 있다.

전문 해설위원과 캐스터라는 인터넷 방송에서 보기 드문 조합으로 팟캐스트에 진출해 스포츠 분야 청취율 1위를 달성하기도 했는데, 한국 시장 내 스포츠 팟캐스트 현황에 대해 설명해 주세요.

Image of Leestar Team members eating a corndog and holding a keyboard

The Leestar Team

전체 팟캐스트 시장에서 스포츠 분야는 비교적 낮은 비율을 차지하고 있습니다. 기본적으로 팟캐스트는 정치, 교양, 예능 분야의 비중이 높은데 누가 들어도 쉽게 공감할 수 있는 주제이기 때문에 더 많이 선호된다고 보여집니다. 물론 스포츠 팟캐스트는 스포츠에 관심 있는 사람들이 찾아서 듣는 경우가 많고, 이는 곧 고정적인 팬층을 확보할 수 있다는 강점으로 연결됩니다.

팟캐스트만의 매력이 무엇이라고 생각하시나요?

팟캐스트에서는 일반적인 라디오 프로그램보다 자유롭고 편한 분위기를 접할 수 있습니다. 또한 라디오와는 달리 내가 원하는 시간에 원하는 방송을 들을 수 있고, 중간에 잠시 멈출 수도 있고요. 누구나 녹음해서 본인의 방송을 남들과 쉽게 공유할 수 있는 것 역시 큰 장점이라 생각합니다.

Six Playlists To Get Your Dance on From South Korea’s 1MILLION Dance Studio

September 21, 2022

Based in Seoul, South Korea, 1MILLION Dance Studio originally started in a basement in 2014. It has since grown in both size and cultural significance, welcoming students from all over the world, establishing itself as one of South Korea’s most-prized dance agencies, and representing some of the top dancers and choreographers in Asia and around the globe. 

1MILLION’s dancers have collaborated with companies; choreographed routines for superstars; and appeared in numerous music videos, concerts, and television shows. Its frequently updated YouTube channel has over 25 million subscribers worldwide to date, and now the famed studio is ready to connect with fans on Spotify. 

To celebrate the launch of the official 1MILLION Dance Studio Spotify account, the world-renowned studio has created 1MILLION!—a special playlist consisting of fan-favorite tracks that have appeared in its videos. Tracks include “The Greatest” by Sia, “bloodline” by Ariana Grande, “SUNDOWN (ft. Justin Bieber)” by BEAM, and more.

But 1MILLION Dance wasn’t content to leave fans with just the one playlist. The studio also tapped five of its brightest stars—Yoojung Lee, Bale, Woonha, KOOJAEMO, and K-Chan—to create their own specially themed playlists to help fans get warmed up, cooled off, and in a relaxed state of mind.  

Curious which tracks these top dancers keep on repeat? Let’s find out.

Yoojung Lee 

Yoojung joined the ranks of the 1MDS elite in 2015. She became interested in dance at the age of 16 and went on to immerse herself in everything related, starting with commercial dance and moving on to other genres including street-dance fundamentals.  

With her Mystery Party playlist, Yoojung shares some of her favorite daily warm-up songs, which include tracks from Shawn Mendes, BIBI, and more. 

Bale 

Known for winning first place in Asia’s most prestigious dance competition, the Feedback Competition, Bale has been dancing since he first learned how to pop at the age of 15. He’s gone on to participate in countless competitions and dance battles and joined 1MDS in 2020. 

Before class or practice, Bale likes to listen to his playlist Relax, Warm-Up, which includes hits from Khalid, Daniel Caesar, and Jeff Bernat.

Woonha 

Known for her dark and gothic style of choreography, Woonha began dancing as part of her high school’s junior dance club. She later passed an audition and was invited to perform with 1MILLION Dance, which led to her officially becoming a choreographer at the academy in 2019. 

With selections from Mura Masa and FKA twigs, Woonha’s Low Wave playlist is equally suited for relaxing before or after dance class. 

KOOJAEMO 

Appearing in countless music videos including Solar’s “HONEY,” NCT U’s “Maniac,” AleXa’s “Xtra,” and “Blue Moon” by kyungri, KOOJAEMO is one of the rising street dancers in South Korea. 

Before a 1MILLION Dance class, you need to get pumped. And KOOJAEMO’s playlist All That Hip does just that, with cuts by Ari Lennox, UMI, and Sam Smith.

K-Chan 

While having famously appeared in SUNYE’s “Just a Dancer” music video, K-Chan is a rookie in the dance scene. He notably choreographed for K-Pop artist Hong Eunki and former BESTie member Jung Yu Ji on the hit competition show Sing Again 2 and appeared in Korea Tourism’s famous “Feel the Rhythm of Korea: SEOUL” ad, which has garnered over 48 million views to date.

Get your groove on with Burna Boy, Omah Lay, and more with K-Chan’s Feel Groovy playlist. 

1MILLION aims to break the barrier between dance professionals and enthusiasts to create a dance culture that is accessible to all. And now that it’s officially on Spotify, fans will have a chance to stay up with all the tracks that inspire their favorite dancers.

Want to keep the dance party going? Turn ON the movement with Spotify’s K-Pop On! playlist!