[K-Pop Next Level 4] Is Japan an Enemy or Ally to K-Pop?

Korean and Japanese music exchange becomes more activeCalls for steady investment in production environment grow louderMomoka and Jisoo, members of the Japanese girl group HANA, showcased a collaboration stage with group ILLIT on a domestic music show. Jisoo also officially released her solo single 'MISMATCH' on September 8th and began promotions. This trend of groups actively engaging in K-pop exchange is gradually increasing in Japan. / Captured from M2, SBSKPOP ZOOM official YouTube channel'K-pop' is showing signs of evolving beyond 'music made in Korea' into a 'major genre of popular music.' This is not a matter of patriotism or self-awareness, but a reality unfolding in the global popular music market. In fact, groups debuting with 'K-pop' as their main genre are increasingly being seen not only in Southeast Asia but also in countries with significant global music market share like the United States and Japan. examined the potential for K-pop to establish itself as a 'major genre of popular music,' akin to rock or hip-hop, through these examples. It also predicted the future competition with 'K-pop without K' that will occur in the global music market. [THE FACT|Reporter Choi Hyun-jung] Due to its unique 'system,' K-pop is likely to see an increasing number of groups independently produced overseas without the involvement of Korean agencies as it becomes more popularized and universalized.However, Japan is an exception in this regard. Among the countries presenting K-pop style music and groups on their own, Japan is almost the only one maintaining comprehensive exchange with Korea, and it is common for Korean and Japanese artists to state that they are attempting K-pop or J-pop styles.For instance, the Japanese group HANA, despite having no Korean agency involvement in its production, includes Korean member Jisoo, and Korean-Japanese mixed-race artist Chanmina participates as the main producer. Furthermore, HANA members Momoka and Jisoo performed a collaboration stage of 'I Got Your Back' with group ILLIT on a domestic music show, and Jisoo even released the single 'MISMATCH' in Korea on the 8th of last month and promoted it on music shows.Another Japanese girl group, MYERA, featured Korean signage directly in their music video for 'Wantcha bad.' This music video was directed by Korean director Seo Hye-mi (stage name HYEYA).It is no longer uncommon for Korean and Japanese artists to appear on music shows in each other's countries, and it is also frequent for artists from both nations to hold small theater concerts or busking performances in each other's countries.In terms of tour performances, both countries have become established regions that are considered not as overseas destinations but as 'a form of regional performance.' Consequently, some in the music industry assess that the borders between Korea and Japan have become meaningless, at least in the music scene.Regarding the relationship between Korea and Japan, critic Jo Hye-rim stated, "I believe the music exchange between Korea and Japan will develop beyond simple overseas expansion into a direction where the boundaries of production and consumption become blurred," adding, "Korean listeners, particularly those focused on anime and J-rock, have been accepting it without resistance, leading to the natural consumption of Japanese music. This demonstrates that the music exchange between the two countries is already transforming into a reciprocal relationship."The active exchange in the Korean and Japanese music scenes also suggests the possibility of the two countries forming a kind of joint front in the future global music market. Producer Park Sung-ho of the group Guphy commented, "Korean and Japanese music have influenced each other and developed over a long period, so they are bound to coexist," and "By acknowledging each other's strengths and collaborating where possible, we can build a foundation for joint production, which will lead to better music and content."The music video for MYERA's 'Wantcha bad' was directed by Korean director Seo Hye-mi. Korean signage appears directly in this music video. / Captured from MYERA's official YouTube channelCritic Lim Hee-yoon stated, "In Japan, due to the specificity of its domestic market, AKB-style groups and music have persisted for a long time. However, as Japan's music market expands globally, it has adopted K-pop styles, and groups like HANA have achieved significant success," adding, "As confirmed by the success of combining the strengths of J-pop and K-pop, as seen in HANA's case, this trend is likely to accelerate."While exchange with Japan is becoming more active and the potential for joint production is growing, Japan cannot be viewed solely as a partner for cooperation. K-pop, paradoxically, is an industry that creates more competitors as it gains popularity and becomes more widespread in the global music market.Just because Japan is a partner to K-pop now does not mean it will not become a competitor in the future.Furthermore, as the K-pop production system becomes more universalized, it may become difficult for Korea to maintain its competitive edge solely with the experience and know-how it has accumulated so far. In this context, where K-pop faces competition within Korea as well as complex calculations in the global market, the greatest weapon will ultimately be consistent investment and the development of creativity through it.Among K-pop industry insiders, there's a saying, half-joking and half-serious, that 'the more money you spend, the better the music quality becomes.' This implies that if investment is not spared, the probability of producing better content increases.A K-pop industry insider who requested anonymity said, "The reason famous overseas composers participate in domestic K-pop group albums is, of course, money. It's easier to earn more money compared to other countries, and participating in albums of already popular K-pop artists also makes it easier to increase their fees," adding, "Large domestic agencies continue to hold the advantage based on this logic of capital. This is why not only other countries but also domestic small and medium-sized agencies struggle to gain traction. Breaking this structure will not be easy."However, simply spending a lot of money on famous overseas composers is by no means a good solution. This is because if large overseas corporations spend more money, the situation can immediately reverse.Therefore, calls are emerging for greater investment in the development of in-house production environments.Critic Lim Hee-yoon stated, "Overseas composers do not exclusively sell their songs to Korea, nor can we ask them to sell only to us," adding, "Nowadays, all high-quality sound sources are digital and shared among composers worldwide. This means anyone with talent can create good music."He continued, "Paradoxically, Korea began entrusting songs to overseas composers, rather than the Korean composers who built the initial K-pop sound to gain recognition from Billboard or Grammy," and "Now, we need to increase investment in production environments and nurture talented individuals within the production staff to create more K-pop originality."There are voices calling for continuous investment and creativity to maintain K-pop's competitiveness in the global market. The photo shows spectators at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS(2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, TMA)' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on September 19th. This is unrelated to the article content. / Reporter Song Ho-youngCritic Jo Hye-rim also emphasized, "Ultimately, future competition will not be a national battle between Korean K-pop and overseas K-pop, but a competition of who can create more original music and artists using similar production systems," and "Hollywood is the center of filmmaking without monopolizing the film industry. Similarly, Korea must become the center of the K-pop industry."He added, "To achieve this, we must create an environment that strengthens artists' musical individuality and creative capabilities and allows for continuous new musical experimentation. If the system enabled the globalization of K-pop, creativity that transcends that system will determine K-pop's competitiveness in the future." [K-pop Next Level 1] Is K-pop a 'Major Music Genre'?[K-pop Next Level 2] Can 'K-pop Concept' Become a Music Genre?[K-pop Next Level 3] The Future Brought by 'K-pop Without K'laugardagr@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]