[SBA x IT Donga Joint Planning] The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) have established startup hubs (centers) in Chang-dong, Seongsu, and Dongjak, Seoul. They support and nurture startups through stage-specific programs from initial startup to growth phases. Promising startups with high growth potential that have shown remarkable activity by 2025 are introduced.

K-Pop has captivated the world. According to the overseas sales trend data of K-Pop released by the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute in July 2024, K-Pop overseas sales in 2023 recorded KRW 1,237.7 billion, a 34.3% increase from the previous year. Overseas performances and album product exports accounted for about 80% of the total. Growing faster than export items like secondary batteries and agricultural products, K-Pop has established itself as a cultural phenomenon.

The region attracting attention in the growing K-Pop market is the Arab world. According to the 2024 Overseas Hallyu Survey, the favorability of Korean cultural content among Arab consumers, such as Saudi Arabia (77%), the United Arab Emirates (83%), and Egypt (75.8%), exceeded the average of 68.8% in the surveyed countries (26 countries). The number of Hallyu fans in the Arab region increased from 170,000 in 2017 to 190,000 in 2024.

However, the K-Pop market in the Arab world does not only have a rosy outlook. The Middle East region is characterized by the conservative atmosphere of the Islamic cultural sphere and a complex political and social background. Strict regulations on female exposure, sensitivity to specific brands or regions, and complex regional customs are barriers to entry. Approaching without cultural understanding can lead to unexpected incidents. This is why experts with high field understanding are needed.



Click Studio positions itself as a bridge connecting K-Pop and the local market by utilizing the uniqueness of the Arab market. By mediating cultural differences and providing content that meets the local fans' expectations, it targets the Arab market. Why did Click Studio choose the Arab market? The story was heard from Kwon Gu-pyo, CEO of Click Studio.

A Startup Competition Poster Leads the Way to Entrepreneurship

CEO Kwon Gu-pyo, while repeatedly taking leaves of absence to explore his desired field, focused on the growth potential of video content. He was convinced that the content market would be led by video platforms in the future. Subsequently, he learned and gained experience in video content production with like-minded colleagues.

The trigger for entrepreneurship was a startup competition hosted by the Korea-Arab Society. Although he applied with a light heart, he discovered the potential of the K-Pop market in the Arab world during the preparation process. CEO Kwon set a goal with his team to challenge commercialization if they won the competition and prepared a business item to help K-Pop enter the Arab market. As a result, CEO Kwon and his team's idea achieved success by winning the competition.

CEO Kwon concretized the business through support from the Pre-Startup Package and Youth Entrepreneurship Academy programs. His confidence in the Arab region's K-Pop market was clear. At the time, there were no K-Pop specialized companies focusing on the Arab region. CEO Kwon said, “When meeting local fans, they often expressed feeling alienated, saying that K-Pop seems unaware of the Arab presence. I thought it would be good to approach with locally tailored content.”

K-Pop Experts Who Know 'Arab', Differentiating Through Localization

Click Studio is involved in all activities connecting K-Pop idols and Arab fans. When producing web entertainment content for idols, they attempt cultural exchanges by inserting Arabic subtitles or inviting local guests to provide interpretation. Additionally, they produce their own music with Arabic lyrics and music videos tailored to the local market.

However, the Arab market is difficult to conduct business in due to its unique regional culture. Issues such as female exposure, mentioning specific regions or brands, and maintaining order during performances can lead to disputes. CEO Kwon said, “There was an instance where fans rushed the stage, causing the encore performance to be canceled immediately. Preparing thoroughly before performances to prevent security and safety issues is also part of Click Studio's work.”



The environment where business progress is determined by local connections is also a growth obstacle. CEO Kwon said, “In the Arab region, nothing is certain, and everything depends significantly on connections rather than logic or procedures. Depending on the situation, the business itself may be canceled.”

The uniqueness of the Arab market enhances Click Studio's value. It reduces the trial and error that Korean companies and artists experience when directly entering the Middle East, based on local networks and cultural understanding.

The Way to Break Through a Stagnant Business Structure is 'Expansion'

Click Studio's concern is the stagnant demand for K-Pop within the Arab market. According to CEO Kwon, the K-Pop market in the Arab region has stagnated since the early 2020s. Although the recognition of K-Pop idols has expanded, the preference for foreign famous artists is higher in the performance sector. The difficulty of continuous growth with only content production and performance/marketing agency work is also a concern.

Investment attraction is also challenging. CEO Kwon said, “The startup investment market is focused on specific fields such as artificial intelligence and cloud. It is difficult to draw good evaluations even when proceeding with external investment attraction.”

Click Studio chose to prove its corporate identity rather than focusing on investment activities. They are enhancing Arabic translation services and supporting Korean companies wishing to enter the Arab market. They plan to secure competitiveness in the cultural content field by undertaking video shooting and event planning domestically.

Click Studio expands its business areas for growth. This strategy utilizes K-Pop-related work experience and Arab network and infrastructure (equipment, facilities). In addition to K-Pop performance/marketing agency work, they will support business connections between local companies. They plan to enter the tourism, medical, and beauty markets. Based on a high understanding of Arab culture, they will provide necessary interpretation or local coordinators (business managers) for the business.

Aiming to be a Bridge Connecting Korea and the Arab World

In September 2025, Click Studio held a K-Pop concert in Jordan. In October, they achieved results with cultural events and business matching in Nepal and Taiwan, and in early November in Dubai. They also supported events and language translation for companies wishing to enter the Middle East. Click Studio's diversification strategy in culture and business has led to success.

For Click Studio, which focuses on the Arab market, the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) Seoul Startup Hub Chang-dong is a reliable base. Click Studio, which moved in in July 2025, is utilizing the facilities of the Seoul Startup Hub Chang-dong. The Seoul Startup Hub Chang-dong provides various support, including a professional studio equipped with shooting and lighting equipment, media business, and support project announcements.

CEO Kwon said, “I was attracted to the facilities to the extent that I have been using the studio equipment of the Seoul Startup Hub Chang-dong since 2022. However, after moving in, it wasn't just the facilities that were attractive. The efforts of the Seoul Startup Hub Chang-dong staff to support corporate growth are impressive. I think all of this will be a great foundation for Click Studio's growth.”

In addition, Click Studio received support for investment attraction activities (IR) consulting and the production of extended reality (XR) content. CEO Kwon plans to use the sample videos of the extended reality content produced as materials for company introduction and investment attraction.



“The goal is to become a company that businesses wanting to enter the Arab market in K-Pop, business, and culture can say, ‘It's convenient and easy through Click Studio.’ Although the entry of K-Pop into the Arab market is in a stagnant period, I believe it can be overcome with sincerity. I am confident that all of Click Studio's experiences will grow into a group of experts with a high understanding of the Arab market.”

Click Studio dreams of being a bridge connecting Korea and the Arab world. Although it expanded its business areas due to the stagnation of the K-Pop market in the Arab region, the direction of connecting the Arab and Korean markets has not changed. CEO Kwon plans to focus on evolving into a platform that connects Korean companies and cultural content to the Arab market. The potential of the market existing between the Arab and Korean regions is the force that sustains Click Studio.

IT Donga Reporter Kang Hyung-seok (redbk@itdonga.com)

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