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☆ K-pop stocks have sold off this year, but Goldman sees a turnaround
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Goldman Sachs, however, expressed optimism for the industry in a March 14 report, saying the K-pop sector is "misunderstood." Nonetheless, Goldman Sachs said it sees a "high potential for valuation re-rating," as companies still continue to deliver multi-year earnings growth. Goldman pointed out that Japan's top talent agency Johnny & Associates has been mired in a major scandal, leading to the industry turning more favorable to K-pop artists. In 2023, Kouhaku Uta Gassen, the largest music show in Japan, invited five K-pop artists and two localized groups produced by K-pop companies. It was the first time the show has featured male K-pop artists since 2011 and the largest number of K-pop groups ever featured in its line up.

Persons: Danielle, Hyein, NewJeans, Gary Miller, Goldman Sachs, Karina, Goldman, Kouhaku Uta Gassen Organizations: Park, Filmmagic, JYP, YG Entertainment, SM Entertainment, Hybe, SM, Johnny, Associates Locations: CHICAGO , ILLINOIS, Chicago , Illinois, Japan, U.S

☆ Aespa’s Karina: K-pop star ends relationship weeks after it sparked a fan backlash
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —After apologizing last month for a new relationship that angered some particularly animated fans, K-pop star Karina is once again single – highlighting the long-standing challenges of dating in the fervid fanspace of Korean entertainment. Karina, of the girl group Aespa, and actor Lee Jae-wook have broken up after going public five weeks ago, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap, citing statements from the pair’s respective representatives. Lee’s agency, C-JeS Studios, said he had ended the relationship to focus on work, “leaving them as colleagues who support each other,” Yonhap reported. In the past, K-pop stars who went public with their relationships have faced heavy public backlash, sometimes impacting their professional careers and contracts. There have been some signs of change in recent years, with attitudes slowly shifting among both fans and agencies.

Persons: Karina, Lee Jae, Yonhap, “, ” Yonhap, ”, Lee, wasn’t, Jisoo, Ahn Bo, hyun, “ I’m, commenter Organizations: CNN, South, JeS, Chosun Ilbo Locations: South Korean

☆ Aespa’s Karina apologizes to K-pop fans after relationship reveal sparks backlash
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —Are K-pop stars allowed to love? Under Karina’s apology post on Wednesday, the comment section was flooded with fans rallying in support. “No idols (K-pop stars) should apologize for dating in 2024,” one top comment read. And while there were messages of support there, too, there were plenty of disgruntled fans who weren’t satisfied with Karina’s apology. “Other fans pointed out that Karina’s apology hadn’t mentioned the status of her relationship – speculating that was simply confirmation they were still dating.

Persons: Karina, Lee Jae, wook, ”, “, Hyuna, Dawn, Jisoo, Ahn Bo, hyun, Aespa, hadn’t Organizations: South Korea CNN, Chosun Ilbo, Entertainment, Triple H, CNN, Twitter Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, Instagram, Japan, Weibo

The two companies recently teamed up for the “ABBA Voyage” show in London, in which fans could attend a full concert by the Swedish band — as performed by their digital avatars. He says the band won't be on stage during the virtual performance because “that’s the key thing,” of the future-seeking technology. That’s what you could do with this.”Political Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesIn order to create their digital avatars, who are depicted as a kind of superhero version of the band, Kiss performed in motion capture suits. Aespa, the K-pop girl group, frequently perform alongside their digital avatars — the quartet is meant to be viewed as an octet with digital twins. The band deserves to live on because the band is bigger than we are,” Kiss frontman Paul Stanley said in roundtable interview.

Persons: Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, Eric Singer —, George Lucas ’, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, —, “, Kiss, Mark Tuan, ”, Tuan, we’ve, Paul Organizations: New York, Kiss, Industrial, Pophouse Entertainment, Machines Locations: New, Madison, London, Swedish

Built using AI technology, Eternity is one of the latest South Korean acts pushing the boundary between real and virtual entertainment. And she’s a natural-born actress.”Video Ad Feedback Are AI-powered virtual bands the future of K-pop? Using deepfake and motion capture technology, Pulse9 then produced the band’s first music video (to accompany the ironically titled track “I’m Real”) in 2021. Metaverse EntertainmentMetaverse Entertainment used AI technology to generate faces, merging the features and hairstyles deemed most desirable into four final characters. The music video for MAVE’s first single, “Pandora,” has already racked up 25 million views on YouTube since its release in January.

Persons: “, ”, Ji, Zae, Pulse9, Lil Miquela, “ I’m, Lee Soo, Netmarble, Metaverse, Kang Sung, MAVE’s, Pandora, Kang, Siri, ” Kang, ” Eternity's, — they’re Organizations: CNN, Pulse9, YouTube, South, SM Entertainment, Metaverse Entertainment, SM, Kakao Entertainment, Entertainment, Wall Street, Park Locations: “, South Korean, ”, Indonesian

☆ MTV VMAs 2023: See the full list of winners
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards were presented on Tuesday. Beyoncé, Doja, Karol G, Minaj and Shakira joined Swift as artist of the year nominees, marking the first time since the category was introduced in 2017 that all artist of the year nominees are women. Shakira received the Video Vanguard Award. The night also welcomed brand new category Best Afrobeats. Demi Lovato, Shakira, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Doja Cat and Fall Out Boy, among others, all performed during the ceremony.

Persons: Taylor Swift, ”, Doja, Karol G, Minaj, Shakira, Swift, Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi, Megan Thee, Lil Wayne, Miley Cyrus –, Nicki Minaj –, Olivia Rodrigo –, Sam Smith, Kim Petras, Bill ” Taylor Swift, Karol, Nicki Minaj Shakira Taylor, Cyrus –, Rema, Selena Gomez, Steve Lacy –, PinkPantheress Reneé Rapp, Saucy Santana –, Booty, Stephen Sanchez – “, Flo Milli, Conceited, Reneé Rapp – “, Sam Ryder –, Armani, GOATED, Fletcher –, Diana ”, FLO –, Lauren Spencer Smith, David Guetta, Bebe Rexha, Post Malone, Bryson Tiller, Yung Miami, Shakira –, Savage, Diddy, Lovato, ” Ed Sheeran, ” Taylor Swift, DJ Khaled, Lil Baby –, Swizz Beatz, ” Nicki Minaj –, Alicia Keys, Chris Brown –, Toosii –, ” Yung Bleu, Nicki Minaj, Metallica, “, –, Ella Baila Sola, Despechá, Starr – “, Musa Keys, ” Rema, Ayra Starr – Organizations: CNN, Metro Boomin, NK – Locations: Reneé Rapp – “ Colorado, Lipa

☆ T-Pain in your living room: Are virtual concerts the future of live entertainment?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Samantha Bresnahan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

T-Pain is performing songs that will become a virtual reality (VR) concert, delivered directly to fans via VR headsets. “(Virtual reality) is a very big shift,” says Kyung Kuk Kim, vice president and head of production for AmazeVR. (AmazeVR says it plans to launch the T-Pain concert this Fall.) According to AmazeVR, pricing is currently per concert; it will cost $6.99 for one year of access to the T-Pain concert, for example, after that content launches. It is also producing and releasing mixed reality (MR) concerts – a combination of virtual and augmented reality – by overlaying virtual elements onto live, real-world video.

Persons: ”, I’m, Faheem Rashad Najm, “ I’m, AmazeVR, Megan Thee, “, Kyung Kuk Kim, Kim, Lance Drake, Drake, Mel Slater, Slater, ‘, ’ ”, ” Slater, ’ ” Slater, Jamie McCarthy, they’re, Taylor Swift’s, don’t, AmazeVR’s Kim, it’s, you’re, ” CNN’s Leif Coorlim Organizations: CNN, Florida -, Apple, VR, Dire, YouTube, University of Barcelona, Neuroscience, Technology, UN, Apple Vision Locations: Culver City , California, American, Florida, New York City

Hong Kong/Seoul CNN —South Korean internet company Kakao has become the largest shareholder of SM Entertainment, winning a battle for control of one of the country’s most iconic music agencies. Kakao and its entertainment unit have increased their stake in SM to 39.9%, they said in a Tuesday regulatory filing. In securing a controlling stake, Kakao has seen off rival HYBE, South Korea’s top music agency and home to boy band sensation BTS, after a bruising takeover battle. In a separate Tuesday filing, HYBE said it had sold some of its SM shares to Kakao, reducing its stake to 8.8%. Aespa is represented by SM Entertainment.

☆ Kakao's stake in K-pop agency SM climbs to 40%, HYBE retains 8.8%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, March 28 (Reuters) - South Korean social media giant Kakao's stake in K-pop agency SM Entertainment (041510.KQ) has reached 40%, the target said on Tuesday, in a deal that has left former bidder HYBE (352820.KS) stuck with more than half of its stake in SM. But Kakao's tender offer for a 35% stake at 150,000 won per share attracted acceptances for more than double the targeted stake, forcing it to scale back allotments in proportion. HYBE said it was left with an 8.81% stake in SM. Kim Hyun-yong, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities, said maintaining the remaining stake in SM could help HYBE contain Kakao in the long run. HYBE plans a substantial number of acquisitions and investments this year as the K-pop giant looks to boost its U.S. presence, its chairman Bang Si-hyuk said this month.

☆ Are they for real? South Korean girl band offers glimpse into metaverse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Footages of virtual girl group MAVE is played at the control room of MBC in Seoul, South Korea, February 28, 2023. Apart from backing MAVE:, Kakao launched a 1.25 trillion won ($960 million) tender offer last week to buy South Korean K-pop pioneer SM Entertainment (041510.KQ). SM is home to popular K-pop groups such as Girls' Generation, H.O.T., EXO, Red Velvet, Super Junior, SHINee, NCT Dream and Aespa. MAVE: is an "ongoing" project to explore new business opportunities and find ways to work around technological challenges, said Chu Ji-yeon, who heads Metaverse Entertainment. But South Korean technology has made much progress since then in creating virtual characters.

☆ Explainer: How Kakao won a takeover battle against HYBE for K-pop pioneer SM Entertainment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

For more than two decades, the K-pop industry was dominated by the trio until BTS rose to global fame in recent years, making its agency HYBE the largest music label in the country. It is the second-largest entertainment group in South Korea by market value at $2.8 billion, trailing HYBE, which is worth $5.5 billion. Lee filed an injunction request to block the deal that was approved by a court, and sold a 15% stake in SM to rival agency HYBE, setting up a takeover battle. Kakao, the most popular social media platform in South Korea, is expanding aggressively into the entertainment industry where it already owns a smaller K-pop agency, Starship Entertainment. In January, Kakao Entertainment announced a 1.2 trillion won ($966.27 million) investment from Singapore's GIC and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, giving it more firepower for the SM bid.

☆ Kakao Strikes Back in the Battle of K-Pop Empires
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Jacky Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

South Korea internet company Kakao is flashing its checkbook to secure a seat at the pinnacle of the country’s popular music industry. Entertainment company Hybe, manager for global K-pop sensation BTS, will need to pay up if it wants to compete. Kakao, together with its entertainment unit, on Tuesday made a tender offer of nearly $1 billion for 35% of K-pop label SM Entertainment. The high bid price shows Kakao’s determination to take control of one of the largest K-pop labels. Kakao had already bought nearly 5% of SM, which manages bands like Super Junior and Aespa, last week in the market.

☆ Boy Band BTS’s Next Hit: A Boardroom Drama?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jacky Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BTS member Jung Kook performing during the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar last year. The Korean pop-music industry’s influence has swept around the world in the past couple of decades. It is also producing gripping corporate drama: A potential bidding war is brewing, involving two of the largest companies in the K-pop industry. South Korea’s Hybe, the agency behind boy band BTS, launched a tender offer on Friday to buy a quarter of its rival SM Entertainment. It has also agreed to purchase a 14.8% stake from SM’s founder Lee Soo-man.

☆ BTS agency HYBE seeks to take over K-pop rival SM Entertainment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Heo Ran/File PhotoSEOUL, Feb 10 (Reuters) - South Korean entertainment company HYBE (352820.KS) said on Friday it will buy shares worth 423 billion won ($335 million) in rival SM Entertainment (041510.KQ), seeking management rights to strengthen its position in the K-pop industry. HYBE is the agency that manages K-pop mega band BTS. HYBE has also tendered an offer on Friday for SM shares held by minority shareholders, seeking to buy up to 25% of the rival agency with the intention of acquiring management rights. HYBE and SM Entertainment shares were up 6% and 16%, respectively, as of 11:05 a.m. (0205 GMT). Earlier this week, South Korean tech firm Kakao Corp (035720.KS) said it would acquire a 9.05% stake in SM Entertainment to pursue joint projects including global K-pop auditions.

☆ K-pop stocks soar after agency behind BTS announced it would become its rival’s top shareholder
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

South Korean girl group aespa at the 2022 KBS Song Festival at Jamsil Arena on Dec. 16, 2022, in Seoul, South Korea. The K-pop agency behind BTS is set to become the largest shareholder of SM Entertainment — the legacy company known to have kickstarted the wave of popularity around Korean pop culture. That would make Hybe a top shareholder in SM Entertainment. Shares of SM Entertainment soared on Friday, rising more than 16% at the open in Seoul. Hybe rose 6% and JYP Entertainment rose 2.5%, while YG Entertainment gained 3.8%.

☆ The metaverse is the future of K-pop: Soo-Man Lee
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe metaverse is the future of K-pop: Soo-Man LeeSoo-Man Lee, founder of SM Entertainment, shares with CNBC's Chery Kang about why he believes the future of K-pop lies in the metaverse. He also talks about SM's first metaverse girl band, Aespa.

☆ Man behind the Korean wave talks about the future of K-pop and what aspiring artistes can do
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Kimberley Kao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Gabriel Olsen | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images"But when foreign bands come to [South Korea to] perform, they completely took over the stage and fans went wild. Future of K-popAs for the future of K-pop, "I think the metaverse that everyone is talking about these days is the future," Lee says. SM Entertainment established a metaverse world called SM Culture Universe, and launched its first metaverse girl band, Aespa in 2020. SM Entertainment established a metaverse world called SM Culture Universe, and launched its first metaverse girl band, Aespa in 2020. Alexi Rosenfeld | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images"SM Entertainment is building 'Play-2-Create'… people can discover their creative side and create in the metaverse.

☆ V&A celebrates 'Korean Wave' of popular culture with new exhibition
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Korean Wave" are K-Pop costumes, K-drama props as well as a replica of the bathroom set in Oscar-winning film "Parasite". Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"'Hallyu' actually means Korean wave and it refers to this meteoric rise of popular culture from South Korea that has taken the world by storm in the past few decades." The exhibition is split into different sections including K-pop and its fans, television drama and cinema, fashion and beauty. The Korean Wave" exhibition at the V&A in London, Britain, September 21, 2022. The Korean Wave" opens on Saturday and runs until June.

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