- Co-hosted with Gold House and the Recording Academy’s Gold Music Alliance in Los Angeles on September 9
- Aimed at highlighting K-pop’s global influence and cultural value in greater depth
- Speakers emphasized that “K-pop’s success strategies are already influencing Western music”
(L to R) Jonathan Yip, Mitra Darab, Joon Choi, Tetris Kelly, Rick Choi
[2025-09-12] HYBE announced that it successfully co-hosted ‘Reshaping the Global Music Industry: K-Pop’s Entertainment Blueprint’ on September 9 (local time) at The West Hollywood EDITION in Los Angeles in partnership with Gold House and the Recording Academy’s Gold Music Alliance.
The panel and networking reception marked HYBE’s first large-scale event in the United States with major cultural industry institutions. The gathering convened leading executives and experts to highlight the value of K-pop as a global cultural phenomenon and to examine its impact and future trajectory across international music markets.
(L to R) Bing Chen, Qiana Conley Akinro, Isaac Lee
Gold House, a leading nonprofit investing in and platforming Asian Pacific creators, companies, and communities, has played a pivotal role in strengthening networks and shaping culture across the region. The Gold Music Alliance, part of the Recording Academy’s pan-Asian D.R.E.A.M. Initiative, spotlights the contributions of Asian members to the global music industry and helps expand their influence worldwide.
The evening opened with remarks from Isaac Lee (CEO & Chairman, HYBE Americas), Bing Chen (CEO & Executive Chairman of Gold House), and Qiana Conley Akinro (Senior Executive Director, Recording Academy’s LA Chapter).
“K-pop underscores the power of something that starts somewhere but can unite all of us everywhere,” said Bing Chen. “Asian culture is the fastest-growing in the U.S., and we are already seeing results from artists like BTS and KATSEYE.”
“K-pop’s presence at the Academy has grown meaningfully in recent years,” noted Qiana Conley Akinro. “The genre is no longer on the margins; it’s helping shape the future of global music recognition.”
Isaac Lee, CEO & Chairman of HYBE Americas, remarked, “Today the music industry is a $70 billion industry and K-pop is still only 4 percent of it. We are very happy to always be on the charts… But explosive growth is what’s going to happen and this is a universal language.”
A high-level panel featured Joon Choi (President, Weverse Company), Mitra Darab (President, HYBE x Geffen Records), Jonathan Yip (Grammy Award-winning Producer & Recording Academy LA Chapter National Trustee), and Rick Choi (Global Tour Promoter, Live Nation). Panelists highlighted fandom culture and fandom platforms as distinctive features and key drivers of K-pop’s success, noting that these elements are already influencing the Western music scene.
“K-pop fandoms are not just lean-back listeners—they are very proactive, eager to support artists, and true partners in their careers,” said Joon Choi.
“In K-pop, fans are always the top priority, and communicating directly with them through platforms like Weverse is crucial," Darab said. "This is something Western labels—particularly in the U.S.—can learn from K-pop, and many Western artists are already eager to join Weverse."
Darab also highlighted how KATSEYE’s decision to debut their single “Gnarly,” released in April, on a Korean music show played a pivotal role in the group’s success.
She commented “Korea’s top 4 music shows are known for their top-notch production and are highly anticipated by fans. The shows are part of understanding the fandom culture. It was also a highly strategic decision, as “Gnarly” is a performance-driven song.”
(L to R) Jonathan Yip, Mitra Darab, Joon Choi, Tetris Kelly, Rick Choi
[2025-09-12] HYBE announced that it successfully co-hosted ‘Reshaping the Global Music Industry: K-Pop’s Entertainment Blueprint’ on September 9 (local time) at The West Hollywood EDITION in Los Angeles in partnership with Gold House and the Recording Academy’s Gold Music Alliance.
The panel and networking reception marked HYBE’s first large-scale event in the United States with major cultural industry institutions. The gathering convened leading executives and experts to highlight the value of K-pop as a global cultural phenomenon and to examine its impact and future trajectory across international music markets.
(L to R) Bing Chen, Qiana Conley Akinro, Isaac Lee
Gold House, a leading nonprofit investing in and platforming Asian Pacific creators, companies, and communities, has played a pivotal role in strengthening networks and shaping culture across the region. The Gold Music Alliance, part of the Recording Academy’s pan-Asian D.R.E.A.M. Initiative, spotlights the contributions of Asian members to the global music industry and helps expand their influence worldwide.
The evening opened with remarks from Isaac Lee (CEO & Chairman, HYBE Americas), Bing Chen (CEO & Executive Chairman of Gold House), and Qiana Conley Akinro (Senior Executive Director, Recording Academy’s LA Chapter).
“K-pop underscores the power of something that starts somewhere but can unite all of us everywhere,” said Bing Chen. “Asian culture is the fastest-growing in the U.S., and we are already seeing results from artists like BTS and KATSEYE.”
“K-pop’s presence at the Academy has grown meaningfully in recent years,” noted Qiana Conley Akinro. “The genre is no longer on the margins; it’s helping shape the future of global music recognition.”
Isaac Lee, CEO & Chairman of HYBE Americas, remarked, “Today the music industry is a $70 billion industry and K-pop is still only 4 percent of it. We are very happy to always be on the charts… But explosive growth is what’s going to happen and this is a universal language.”
A high-level panel featured Joon Choi (President, Weverse Company), Mitra Darab (President, HYBE x Geffen Records), Jonathan Yip (Grammy Award-winning Producer & Recording Academy LA Chapter National Trustee), and Rick Choi (Global Tour Promoter, Live Nation). Panelists highlighted fandom culture and fandom platforms as distinctive features and key drivers of K-pop’s success, noting that these elements are already influencing the Western music scene.
“K-pop fandoms are not just lean-back listeners—they are very proactive, eager to support artists, and true partners in their careers,” said Joon Choi.
“In K-pop, fans are always the top priority, and communicating directly with them through platforms like Weverse is crucial," Darab said. "This is something Western labels—particularly in the U.S.—can learn from K-pop, and many Western artists are already eager to join Weverse."
Darab also highlighted how KATSEYE’s decision to debut their single “Gnarly,” released in April, on a Korean music show played a pivotal role in the group’s success.
She commented “Korea’s top 4 music shows are known for their top-notch production and are highly anticipated by fans. The shows are part of understanding the fandom culture. It was also a highly strategic decision, as “Gnarly” is a performance-driven song.”