SOUTH KOREA - Road Map

Fast facts

Dial Code: +82

Population: 51,7 million

Language: Korean

Capital City: Seoul

Currency: Won (KRW)

GDP Per Capita: $44,292

Labels, distribution & licensing

RECORD LABELS

Kpop:

• SM

• JYP

• Bighit

• YG

• FNC

• Pledis

• Starship

• Cube

• RBW

General:

• Mystic (Popular Music)

• Fluxus (Popular Music)

• Magic Strawberry (Popular Music)

• Antenna Music (Popular Music)

• Dooroodooroo (Popular Music)

• AOMG (Hip Hop)

• Amoeba Culture (Popular Music)

• Brand New Music (Popular Music)

• Illionaire Records (Hip Hop)

DISTRIBUTION

• Sony Music (Major)

• Universal Music (Major)

• Warner Music (Major)

• Kakao M (Popular Music)

• CJ E&M (Popular Music)

• iRIVER (Popular Music)

• Genie (Popular Music)

• Bugs Music (Popular)

• Mirrorball Music (Popular Music)

• Fluxus (Popular Music)

• Music & New (Popular Music)

• Ogam (Popular Music)

LICENSING

• C&L (Jazz and art music)

• Stomp Music (Art Music)

• Feel Music (Popular Music)

• Fluxus (Popular Music)

• Leeway (Popular Music)

STUDIOS

Seoul:

• Black Key Studios

• Red House Recording Studio

• Stoneage Record & Studio

• Yul House Recording Studio

• Yagi Studio

• Seoul Recording Studio

• M Plus Recording Studio

• Musai Co Ltd

• Macho Studio

Media, PR & Promotion

MEDIA
TV:

• KBS

• MBC

• JTBC

• THE T.V

• M-NET

Radio:

• KBS

• Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation

• Seoul Broadcasting System

• Christian Broadcasting System

• 101.3 TBS eFM - FM 101.3 (In English)

• GFN - FM 98.7, 93.7 (In English)

• Arirang Radio - FM 88.7, 88.1, 101.9 (In English)

Newspapers:

• Chosun Ilbo

• Dong-a Ilbo

• Hankook Ilbo

• Hankyoreh

• JoongAng Ilbo

• Kookmin Ilbo

• Kyunghyang Shinmun

• Munhwa Ilbo

• Seoul Shinmun

• Korea Times (English)

• Korea Herald (In English)

• Korea JoognAng Day (In English)

Search portals:

• Naver (75%)

• Google (11%)

• Daum (10%)

Video platfroms:

• YouTube (56%)

• Naver TV

• Oksusu

• Gom TV

• Afreeca TV

• Pooq

• Netflix (1,5%)

PR AGENCIES

• Toast PR

• Create Sparks

• Toast PR

• Create Sparks

• In House PR

• Charm Factory

• Murray Charmers

• Inside / Out

• Dog Day Press

• Freeman PR

• Purple PR

• Partisan PR

• Prescription PR

• Alan James PR

• Listen Up PR

• Plugged in PR

• Rocket

• Your Army

MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS

• KOSCAP (Organization of Composers, Writers and Publishers)

• FKMP (Organization for Musicians)

• RIAK (Represents the record companies)

• Komca (Copyright Management Organization)

• KMCIA (Maintains, among other things, the official top lists and reviews sales)

• LIAK (Interest organization for record companies)

• KEPA (For creative workers in the entertainment industry)

• Ministry of Culture, sports and tourism (Ministry of Culture, sports and tourism)

• Korea Creative Content Agency (Promotes the Korean creative industry such as music, film and games)

Live & Venues

LIVE

March:

• Tongyeong International Music Foundation, Tongyeong (Art Music)

April:

• Dongducheon Rock Festival, Dongducheon (Popular Music)

May:

• Seoul Jazz Festival (Jazz)

• Dream Concert, Seoul (Popular Music)

• Greenplugged Festival, Seoul (Popular Music)

June:

• DMZ Peace Train Music, Cheorwon (Mixed)

• Seoul World DJ Festival, Seoul (Popular Music)

• Ultra Korea, Seoul (Popular Music)

• Heineken 5TARDIUM, Seoul (Popular Music)

July:

• Great Mountains Music Festival & School, Pyeong (Art Music)

• Isang Yun Competition, Tongyeong (Art Music)

• Waterbomb, Seoul (Popular Music)

August:

• Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival, Jeju City (Art Music)

• Jecheon International (Mixed)

• Pentaport Rock Festival, Incheon (Popular Music)

• Seoul Fringe Festival, Seoul (Popular Music)

• Waterbomb, Incheon (Popular Music)

September:

• Jeonju International Sori Festival, Jeonju (Mixed)

• New Music Art Market (Contemporary)

• World Club Dome Korea, Incheon (Popular Music)

October:

• Jarasum International Jazz Festival (Jazz)

• Daegu International Opera Festival (Art Music)

• Seoul International Computer Music Festival (Electronic)

• Asia Song Festival, Seoul (Popular Music)

• K-Pop World Festival, Changwon, Seoul (Popular Music)

• Grand Mint Festival, Seoul (Popular Music)

VENUES

Seoul:

• Once in a Blue Moon (Jazz)

• Club FF (Rock)

• Jazz Story (Jazz)

• Club Bbang (Mixed)

• Club Evans (Jazz)

• J.J. Mahoney's (Mixed)

• Boogie Woogie (Jazz)

• All That Jazz (Jazz)

• Strange Fruit (Mixed)

• Prism Live Hall (Rock)

• Salon Badabie (Mixed)

• Platoon Kunsthalle (Mixed)

• Thunder Horse Tavern (Rock)

• Club Steel Face (Mixed)

• GBN Live House (Rock)

• Seoul Arts Center (Mixed)

• Jebidabang (Mixed)

• DGBD (Rock)

• Gopchang Jeongol (Mixed)

Busan:

• Club Realize (Mixed)

• KBS Busan Hall (Mixed)

• Oz Hall (Mixed)

• Busan Cultural Center (Mixed)

• KB Art Hall Busan (Mixed)

Daegu:

• Daegu Concert House (Mixed)

• EXCO (Mixed)

• Lag-Wang (Mixed)

• ClubHEAVY 대구클럽헤비 (Mixed)

• Old Blue (Jazz)

• City Art Hall (Mixed)

BOOKING AGENTS AND FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS

• Private Curve (Mixed)

• Jarasum Jazz (Jazz)

• Vu (Popular Music)

• Green Plugged (Popular Music)

• Live Nation (Mixed)

ORCHESTRAS
Bucheon:

• Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra

Gongju:

• Chungnam Philharmonic Orchestra, Gongju

Daegu:

• Daegu Symphony Orchestra, Daegu

Daejeon:

• Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra

Gwangju:

• Gwangju Symphony Orchestra

Incheon:

• Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra

Seoul:

• KBS Symphony Orchestra

• Korean Symphony Orchestra

• Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

• Symphony S.O.N.G

Pusan:

• Pusan Philharmonic Orchestra

Suwon:

• Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra

CONCERT HALLS AND CULTURE HOUSES
Jongno-gu:

• ARKO Arts Theater

• Daehangno Arts Theater

• Doosan Art Hall

• Hakchon Theater

• Kumho Art hall

• Sangmyung Art Hall

• Sejong Center

Gangnam-gu:

• Baek Am Art Hall

• Coex Art Hall & Coex Artrium

Yongsan-gu:

• Blue Square Musical Hall

• Ilshin Hall

Jung-gu:

• Chongdong Theater

Guro-gu:

• D-Cube Art Hall

Gangdong-gu:

• Gangdong Arts Center

Songpa-gu:

• Garden 5 Art Hall

Seocho-gu:

• Hanjeon (Kepco) Art Center

Seoul:

• Hongkik Daehangno Art Center

• LG Art Center

• National Theater of Korea

• Seoul Arts Center

• Yes24 Live Hall

Mapo-gu:

• Mapo Art Center

• Rolling Hall

• V-Hall

Seocho-gu:

• National Gugak Center

Gwangjin-gu:

• Universal Arts Center

Daegu:

• Daegu Concert House

Busan:

• Busan Cultural Center

Other

MUSIC INDUSTRY NETWORKING ARENAS

Seoul:

• Zandari Festa

• MU;CON

MUSIC RESIDENCES

Hooyong Performing Arts Center, Wonju (Focus on sound art, 1 month, some costs covered)