K-pop continues to target Western market due to no profits in SEA, strict rules in China, experts say


    American and European markets are now prioritized by K-pop artists.

    Now that the pandemic restrictions have been lifted in many countries, K-pop groups such as DKB, GHOST9, CIX, THE BOYZ, (G)I-DLE, Brave Girls, Golden Child are all touring overseas, most notably in North America. This is an attempt to expand their popularity in America and Europe, rather than just in Japan, China and Southeast Asia like in the past.


    Industry experts told Joongang Ilbo that profits from overseas fandoms and concerts taking place in the Western market are much larger. Tickets for a K-pop concert in Germany cost from 68 euros (~90,000 KRW) to 328 euros (~440,000 KRW). K-pop album sales in the US also increased by 17.2% last year.


    BTS has made a significant contribution in opening the door for K-pop to enter the US. The group was nominated for a Grammy and sold out concerts in large stadiums with the capacity of 50,000 ~ 70,000 seats. This year, TWICE also sold out 20,000 tickets for a US concert. Stray Kids and SEVENTEEN have also gained many remarkable achievements outside of Asia.


    Currently, top groups such as BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, NCT 127, SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids,… all target Billboard charts more than domestic digital charts by releasing new music on Fridays. In 2020, the number of Korean artists debuting on Billboard Hot 100 also skyrocketed from 5 to 17.


    Industry insiders added that from now on, the Hallyu wave will no longer target the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets as traditionally. They believe entering the US will bring much higher profits. The performance revenue in the US music market ranks first in the world with 10.88 billion USD, 3.7 times higher than Japan ($2.97 billion) and 42 times higher than China ($258 million).


    An industry official said, “10 years ago, when JYP entered the US music market and sadly returned, targeting Western countries was an unthinkable dream. But nowadays, everyone thinks that it is possible. They believe Southeast Asia has become a non-profitable region, and China has too many strict regulations. The market has changed 180 degrees.”


    Source: kbizoom

    Quote from killthisfenty

    Bringing profits when most of them are struggling in the US :whatr:


    BP’s concerts in Thailand generated over 5M dollars, but yes SEA fans don’t bring money making sense....

    For the billionth time... you don't have to be commercially successful in the US to make money.

  • AllKill VIP

    well after all Europe has 4 countries in top 10 music markets in the world


    #3 UK
    #4 Germany
    #5 France
    #10 Italy


    that says a lot :)

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    Quote from killthisfenty

    Bringing profits when most of them are struggling in the US :whatr:


    BP’s concerts in Thailand generated over 5M dollars, but yes SEA fans don’t bring money making sense....

    It probably means that even with close to zero popularity it's easier to make a profit in the us compared to the other markets. Bp are mainstream in Thailand and made 5M while they're not in the US yet have probably made more from there.


    Seeing as how most groups are touring there now despite having close to non existent fanbases in place, it must be true.

    Quote from quarkie

    For the billionth time... you don't have to be commercially successful in the US to make money.

    ??? Where did I say you need to be mainstream, i know a lot of western groups with no hits are selling stadiums but they amassed a big fanbase over the years.

    Unless kr groups who have a big fanbase like NCT, TXT, SKZ... and are more known internationally I can see why would they prefer the US.

    But groups like BG who are mainly popular in Korea are aiming for the USA when they went mainstream in Korea not so long doesn’t seem to be a smart move.

    And lets not talk about Europe market.

    Even small concerts like 10-15k can produce profit close to 2mil. I remember when EXO’s one day of concert got like 1.5mil or something.


    If acts are able to do 3-4 dates of 10-15k they’re gonna be making 5million easily.


    I don’t think people realize how profitable US is lol. You don’t even need to sell out stadiums to be making money equivalent to what money they make with huge numbers is some other countries.

  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from icyruios

    Why you tag me? You know it will take me like 5 hours to load your message in my primitive SEA village urghhhh


    Brb I need to grow my rice


    :farmer-bee::farmer-bee:

    cuz i saw SEA


    made me think of ur SEA agenda

  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from citron-icy

    Good luck with Europe Market lmao

    Dreamcatcher have already performed twice in EU this year.. kpop flex and Primavera Sound!

    :pepe-dj:



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    This is so not true lol


    Especially for BP since they're mainstream in SEA


    BP upcoming Thailand concerts alone should potentially gross as much as a Japan dome tour lol


    Yep I see BP potentially selling out Raj stadium x4 which = 28M-30M USD


    BP can have a SEA leg tour gross as much as 100M-125M USD

    Yet no K-pop group added Europe to their 2022 World Tour...

    Quote from killthisfenty

    Bringing profits when most of them are struggling in the US :whatr:


    BP’s concerts in Thailand generated over 5M dollars, but yes SEA fans don’t bring money making sense....

    Many kpop companies take sea for granted bc they don't bother to promote there when they could bring huge money like it did to GOT7/BP/ BTS


    Bp will most likely stadiums concerts there, which is obv with Lisa help, BP fanbase being huge there and Lisa/BP having ads there


    It's probably most constly to have and fill a concert in the USA that it's in Thailand, Singapore,philipnies etc

    Reports like make me wish SEA would just abandon K-Pop.

    SEA is a HUGE reason why K-Pop is where it is today, and now they've grown on the back of SEA fans, they bite the hand that fed them.

    Let's see K-Pop try to survive without SEA and they'll realize.

    Quote from gugudadadan

    Reports like make me wish SEA would just abandon K-Pop.

    SEA is a HUGE reason why K-Pop is where it is today, and now they've grown on the back of SEA fans, they bite the hand that fed them.

    Let's see K-Pop try to survive without SEA and they'll realize.

    Even Lee Jieun realized the power of SEA was important and had concerts in Manila Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.


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    (Lee Jieun had learned at the Filipino fans were very important for putting BTS on the map and she tried to pull the same trick at Manila.)

    Hmm. I find this article sus since the facts aren't accurate - I think they mean the Billboard 200, not the Hot 100. I also don't think Kpop is completely abandoning SEA - I post daily NCT updates - there is a LOT of Indonesian-targeted content there, while NCT Dream just did concerts in Indonesia and the Philippines.


    I echo the other users upthread - there is a LOT of money to be made in the US and Europe within the niche. For instance, back in 2019, NCT 127 made almost a million dollars for one show with a small 5,622 capacity, and grossed $7M from a month-long tour playing at small theaters from 3,197 to 6,000. Playing in larger venues, like arenas (10K-15K), could garner $2-3M+ per show.


    As far as Europe, again going back to 2019 data, NCT 127 made almost a million with one date at Wembley Arena (6,400 seater) when they were less popular. They also did well in these smaller venues in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Paris.

    ..............................................................................................................perfume

    1a8e5b24bf1c6ccaa1e5bd8ca4a707841e1abe65.gif31addbb43f8bc3a9c9e7fff75dd7f232c5839f1f.gifd752226429a326c0a6d90dfff22926c1961158d1.gif

    Quote from Fansamy

    what

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    She was born during the T'ang dynasty of China and somehow stopped aging until around 2019, so since she was 1,340 years on that year and 3 years have passed she is now 1,343 years old.

    Quote from gugudadadan

    Reports like make me wish SEA would just abandon K-Pop.

    SEA is a HUGE reason why K-Pop is where it is today, and now they've grown on the back of SEA fans, they bite the hand that fed them.

    Let's see K-Pop try to survive without SEA and they'll realize.

    that is true, kpop is niche here last time but become mainstream now

    im not saying they to not target usa and europe

    but the article make it seem like they look down on SEA

    its not knetz its the media that make the article

    its sad

    Based on pure numbers and demand, Japan is the biggest market for Kpop and will be for the foreseeable future.


    But I would not discount SEA. They are an important and integral part of growth.


    There will always be back-channels for Kpop to get into China, even if there's a ban. The sheer number of people would make an all out ban impossible.

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    *Disclaimer I don't read responses to my posts unless I've replied to you before. If that offends you BLOCK ME. It's not my job to police your feelings.

    Quote from Millano

    Covid

    Ding ding ding


    I think Covid and the fact that we are still barely into post pandemic stage is a BIG reason why companies aren't doing full world tours right now.


    Touring pre-pandemic was expensive and logistically difficult.


    In 2022/Early-23 you still have different restrictions to entering and moving about countries, tougher Visa conditions, different levels of risk etc. Then theres the issue of restrictions in gatherings/behaviour at gatherings.


    Add to that a pretty cruddy global economy where the cost of EVERYTHING is rising ridiculously. Travel, fuel, etc. Jumping around one large country like the US is probably a cheaper option than jumping around a number of smaller ones.


    And THEN you have a volatile situation in Eastern Europe that also impacts travel and movement.


    These companies aren't dumb, and for all the complaining fans do, aren't malicious. They aren't not going to places because they hate the fans there.


    They have rooms FULL of nerds with spreadsheets, calculators, counting on their fingers. They are doing cost vs benefit analysis to find ways to make the most money at the lowest cost and risk in a world that is still very very different than it was in 2019 and still recovering.







    Shit sucks though. Think SEA and Europe gets nothing?


    Try being Australian/New Zealander.

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