Korean Content Leaders Take Stock After a Decade of Growth and Look to Future: ‘Korean Entertainment is Everywhere’

The landscape of Korean entertainment has evolved dramatically since Psy’s “Gangnam Style” first sparked a global dance craze nearly 15 years ago. Earlier this month, industry leaders from both sides of the Pacific convened at the London West Hollywood hotel to assess South Korea’s remarkable ascent as a powerhouse exporter of music, films, TV series, short-form content, and other digital media that now permeate traditional Hollywood. The K-Entertainment Industry Summit, hosted by CJ ENM—a key South Korean conglomerate that has helped build a robust ecosystem for producing and distributing K-content—highlighted the growing influence of the Asian diaspora in driving media innovation, spanning vertical dramas, live-stream e-commerce, and the webtoon graphic novel boom.

One standout example cited during the half-day event was the stellar performance of Netflix’s “Kpop Demon Hunters,” an anime film rooted in Korean folklore. “Let’s stop treating it as an outlier and focus on the fundamentals. It’s superb storytelling paired with groundbreaking animation,” said James Shin, president of HYBE America Studios. He noted that the creators aimed for the ambition of major musicals while staying true to authenticity, adding, “It’s those small details—the beauty and specificity—that made it unique.” Hyonbae Park, CEO of CJ ENM America, opened the invitation-only May 14 summit by pinpointing 2012 as Year One of the K-content boom, when Psy’s “Gangnam Style” electrified global dance floors. That hit rode a YouTube wave, showcasing Korea’s artistic explosion. Since then, the Korean-language film “Parasite” won the Oscar for Best Picture, and the drama series “Squid Game” shattered Netflix records. Notably, 2012 also marked CJ ENM’s first KCON fan festival in Los Angeles, which has since expanded to New York, Japan, Paris, and Mexico City.

Reflecting on cultural shifts, Hyonbae Park recalled, “When I first came to the U.S. in 1990, I lived in a small New Jersey town. I was one of the few Asians there. People would ask, ‘Korea—is that a country?’ Now, in 2026, no one asks that. Korean entertainment is everywhere, and everyone loves it.” However, challenges persist. K-pop has faced natural ebbs after a decade-long surge. John Kim, VP of marketing and distribution at UMG/Interscope Records, observed, “People unfamiliar with K-pop see it as a young niche, but its global reach spans teens to people in their 40s and 50s. I grew up on it, my son does too—it’s become generational.” For brands, K-pop offers cutting-edge youth culture appeal. Michael Traynor, VP of Hennessy at Moët Hennessy USA, partnered with former K-pop idol Jackson Wang, noting, “We saw extreme diversity and a fandom that craved more than just an experience. We created collaborations—special content, limited-edition bottles, even a song—that deepened our connection with his audience beyond typical endorsements.” Tara Klee, director of global touring at AEG Presents, added, “K-pop fans are trendsetters with powerful voices. They show up eight hours early to queue—brands dream of that engagement.”

Danielle Kreinik, senior VP of television at Jerry Bruckheimer Television, which is adapting the hit K-drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” into English, emphasized the appeal of K-pop fanbases. “We’d love to attach a Korean star, especially from K-pop. That fanbase is invaluable when pitching packages,” she said. Sera Tabb, head of global television at Webtoon Productions, warned against treating K-content fandom as uniform. “Each piece of IP has its own culture, thanks to comment sections on Webtoon. We track real-time reactions to character moments, which guides our adaptations,” she explained. Jon Wax, executive VP of International Original Television at Disney Entertainment, highlighted Korea and Japan as focal points for Disney’s global strategy. “If content travels, that’s attractive to us,” he said, citing the success of “Battle of Fates,” a Korean game show where psychics and tarot readers compete. “We’re investing in pan-Asian content to build regional strength, hoping it resonates in Southeast Asia and beyond.” The summit, which featured Variety’s Cynthia Littleton, Disney’s Jon Wax, Webtoon’s Sera Tabb, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television’s Danielle Kreinik, underscored a pivotal moment in the global entertainment shift.