The Fifty Fifty case is an example of the growing global marketability of K-Pop. Some see it as a case of greed, others as a matter of civility and loyalty. However, it is a battle for hegemony in a broad sense. First, it shows the hegemonic conflict between the agency and the artist. The Fifty Fifty case showed that the dynamics surrounding the contract between the two parties can change even at the beginning of a debut, and that public opinion recognizes the contribution of the agency in the very early stages of a group. Second, it also shows the hegemonic conflict between global and local capital. It showed that global companies, such as Warner Music, are seeing investment opportunities in K-POP business models that are optimized for gathering fans. K-POP is recognized as a methodology for increasing fan engagement and maximizing user experience, as well as a business model that makes entertainment less likely to fail, and the Fifty Fifty case suggests that K-POP is worth much more than we think.
On November 19, 2023, the 2023 Billboard Music Awards were held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA. For the first time, four K-POP categories were created. There were many nominations in the four categories, including 'Top K-POP Tour,' 'Top global K-POP artist,' 'Top K-POP album,' and 'Top global K-POP song,' and BTS's Jung Kook, Stray Kids, Newjeans, and Blackpink won each category. It was a moment that showed the current state of K-POP.
However, there were also familiar names in other categories outside of K-POP. In the categories of 'Top Selling Song', 'Top Duo/Group' and 'Top Billboard Global Artist (excluding the U.S.)', BTS's Jimin, Fifty Fifty and Newjeans were nominated in each of these categories. Of course, they all failed to win, with Taylor Swift's “Anti-Hero”, Mexican band Fuerza Regida, and Taylor Swift taking home the honors in their respective categories. However, Fifty Fifty's name stood out among this stellar field of nominees.
This content was translated into English by AI (using DeepL) from an article that was originally written in Korean in the DBR (Donga Business Review). Therefore, please understand that there may be some awkward expressions.
The DBR has all legal authority over this content. Please note that unauthorized use and distribution may be subject to legal sanctions
