Internet audio giant Epidemic Sound expands in Korea

Stockholm-based Epidemic Sound, a global music producer and distributor, is working to localize its website and payment methods for Korean customers as it vastly increases the company’s catalog of K-pop music by actively signing artists in Korea

Tom Höglund, chief business development officer at Epidemic Sound, speaks during a press event held at a jazz bar in Seoul on Sept. 15. [EPIDEMIC SOUND]

Stockholm-based Epidemic Sound, a global music producer and distributor, is working to localize its website and payment methods for Korean customers as it vastly increases the company’s catalog of K-pop music by actively signing artists in Korea.

The latest plans reflect the explosive growth in demand for K-pop music in recent years.

“Between 2021 and 2022, the amount of K-pop tracks [we offer] more than doubled,” said Tom Höglund, chief business development officer (CBDO) at Epidemic Sound, during the company’s first offline press event at a jazz bar in Seoul on Sept. 15. “Despite that, we are not keeping up with the demand.”

“Since 2021, K-pop has gone from the 100th most popular genre in our platform to the top 20 category of all genres we provide,” Höglund added.

The company covers around 160 genres in total, according to the press release.

While the company already offers services in seven languages, including English, French and Bahasa Indonesian, Korea will be the next to benefit.

“For a lot of reasons, we chose Korea ... its music is insanely popular, well beyond the size of its population on an international scale,” Höglund said. “[Korea] was a natural place to use as a platform for our further expansion across Asia and APAC.”

While he avoided specifics during the briefing, the CBDO said Epidemic Sound’s website and payment offerings will be “much more user-friendly” in Korea “very soon.”

When asked if very soon meant within this year, he said it is “highly likely.”

Epidemic Sound CBDO Tom Höglund, second from right, answers questions during a press event held in Seoul on Sept. 15. [EPIDEMIC SOUND]

What has already happened, though, is the signing of Korean artists residing and working in Korea. Previously, the company could only sign Korean artists based in the United States due to legal restrictions.

According to Höglund, the legal risks have been cleared since July.

“Last month, we already signed five artists, they will be releasing music in the next coming weeks,” Höglund said. “All these signings are driven by the demand for K-pop music and other types of Korean-style music [from traditional Korean music to Korean hip hop].”

On what makes K-pop unique and popular, he said, “It’s a first,” explaining that the genre has a very unique cultural impression of its own that makes it sound different from any other music from the U.S. or Europe. It’s also unique in that it stays true to its Korean roots, rather than pivoting to English-language lyrics.

Epidemic Sound, which offers 40,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects to subscribers for use in content production, broadcasting or even as incidental music in shops or restaurants, has been trying to expand its business in Korea, especially after setting up its fifth local office in Seoul in 2020. Aside from its headquarters in Stockholm, the company has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Amsterdam.

The company revealed five Korean enterprise partners who are using its service during the press conference: Kakao Entertainment, which operates local music streaming site Melon; Lezhin Entertainment, which turns web cartoons into films, drams and other various forms of media content; the K League, Korea’s football league; Studio Discovery Korea, a unit under Discovery that produces localized original content; and audio tech startup Gaudio Lab.

Höglund added that the company is already meeting with hundreds of creators and influencers in Korea and more signings are to come.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]