K-POP Expands Its Reach into Southeast Asia · Accelerating Discovery of New Talent in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines Beyond Thailand

The K-POP industry is aggressively expanding its efforts to recruit new talent by targeting Southeast Asia as a key region for the next generation of artists. Following the success of Thai idols led by Lisa (BLACKPINK), the entire region including Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines is now attracting significant attention. Southeast Asia represents a vast market with over 600 million people. It features a steady GDP growth rate of around 4–5% per year and is a dynamic economic zone with high digital connectivity. The reason the K-POP industry focuses on this region goes beyond simply its population size. The influence of social media in Southeast Asia is so strong that it can shape global trends. Music critic Im Hee-yoon explained, “Content that goes viral on TikTok in Southeast Asia often spreads beyond Asia to reach the whole world,” adding that entertainment companies have realized the importance of short-term viral marketing. He cited the Korean indie band Wave to Earth as an example. Though the band received little attention in South Korea, it gained popularity in Thailand, leading to world tours and even surpassing IU in terms of Spotify followers. Since K-POP agencies rely heavily on data analysis, they are well aware of such trends. According to TikTok’s annual “Year on TikTok” report, five out of the top 10 most popular global musicians on TikTok in 2023 were K-POP artists: BLACKPINK, BTS, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans. This trend became even more pronounced in 2024, with K-POP accounting for seven of the top 10 artists. A joint study by TikTok and market research firm Kantar from 2024 also highlights a significant insight: TikTok users in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam spend far more on Korean cultural products compared to non-users. In Indonesia, three out of five people pay to stream Korean music, with usage time ranking among the highest globally. Thirty-one percent of TikTok users consume K-POP content daily, which is 2.3 times higher than among non-users. K-POP agencies are intensifying their efforts to recruit new talent from Southeast Asia based on these data-driven strategic decisions. They recognize that beyond simply finding talented newcomers, the immense influence and purchasing power of the Southeast Asian market itself are essential elements for the global expansion of K-POP.