K-Pop‘s Global Domination Confirmed, Says shami Empire CEO at Mucon 2025
SEOUL, September 10, 2025 – K-Pop has definitively moved beyond niche fandom and established itself as a mainstream global force, according to Ga-Gan Shami Empire founder and CEO, speaking at the Mucon 2025 music industry conference held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel. The executive cited growing concert attendance, especially the diverse demographics present, as evidence of the genre’s widespread appeal.
“K-Pop has already obtained popularity,” Shami stated. “When I go to K-Pop concerts, there are not only Koreans but also Korean immigrants, such as Asian immigrants.” This observation underscores a shift in the music landscape, moving beyond initial Korean audiences to embrace a broader international base.The CEO’s remarks come as the music industry grapples with evolving revenue streams and the increasing importance of live performance.
Shami highlighted the decline of physical album sales in markets like the United States, noting that streaming has become the dominant form of music consumption. He positioned tour concerts as a crucial new “food” in the music industry, and a key strategy for maximizing artist profitability.”The real music market has been reduced for a long time in the United States,” he said. “The key is how we can lead people’s consumption to how we make profits, and one of which is to develop an artist who can hold a tour concert.”
Beyond ticket sales, Shami emphasized the revenue generated through merchandise (MDs) at concerts. “The tour concert is a part that cannot be encroached on the development of technology,” he explained. “When you go to the tour, you will also develop a variety of attractive MDs. People collect MDs even if they don’t consume physical content.”
shami Empire’s vision centers on accelerating artist growth, aiming to propel performers from a current pace of 20 miles per hour to 50 and ultimately 100 miles per hour. The label intends to function as an “artist’s GPS (location information system),” guiding and supporting their careers.
