▲ This image of BLACKPINK's Jennie is captured from WEVERSE. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- As K-pop continues to gain global popularity, the market for fan-based platforms is expanding alongside it. 

 

Weverse, the fan platform operated by HYBE, the top music agency in South Korea, has been performing well both domestically and internationally. Now, Kakao Entertainment (hereafter referred to as Kakao Enter) is throwing its hat into the ring with a new fan platform called "Berries."

 

According to the music industry on the 31st, Kakao Enter is currently conducting internal testing for Berries, with a goal of launching it within the year. A Kakao Enter representative confirmed, "It is true that we are preparing a fan platform," but added, "The details and schedule have not yet been finalized."

 

▲ The corporate logo of Kakao Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Industry observers note that Kakao (Kakao Enter) has ownership of multiple K-pop labels, including SM Entertainment, Starship Entertainment, EDAM Entertainment, Antenna, and IST Entertainment, in addition to various talent agencies, drama production companies, and film studios. Leveraging these strengths, Berries is expected to go beyond K-pop and incorporate a wider range of "K-culture," encompassing dramas, films, webtoons, and more. In other words, the platform aims to create a space where fans can engage not only with artists, such as singers and actors, but also with the content itself.

 

SM’s subsidiary DearU already operates the fan communication app "Bubble," but because Bubble focuses on one-on-one communication, industry experts believe it does not directly compete with Berries. Notably, SM Entertainment artists are already present on both Bubble and Weverse. It remains uncertain which Kakao Enter-affiliated artists will join Berries. A Kakao Enter representative commented, "Berries is being developed in a way that differs from Bubble, and we are designing it to create synergy."

 

▲ The logo of fan community platform Weverse. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Currently, Weverse dominates the fan platform industry, having secured top artists such as BTS, SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, and LE SSERAFIM from HYBE, as well as BLACKPINK from YG Entertainment and SM artists. As of last August, Weverse had surpassed 160 million cumulative downloads, and in the third quarter of last year, its monthly active users (MAU) neared 10 million.

 

Weverse particularly strengthened its global presence last year by onboarding major international pop stars such as Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, and The Kid LAROI, bringing the total number of artists on the platform to 53. As a result, international users now account for 87% of Weverse’s total user base.

 

The company’s revenue has been on the rise as well, with Weverse Company recording annual sales of 239.4 billion won in 2021, 307.7 billion won in 2022, and 337.9 billion won in 2023. Last year, Weverse revamped its UI/UX for better user convenience and introduced a new subscription-based membership called "Digital Membership." This membership offers perks such as offline video-on-demand (VOD) storage for premium content, 1080p high-definition conversion, ad-free viewing, and unlimited fan letter submissions.

 

A Weverse representative stated, "On the 16th of this month, we added an ‘auto-generated subtitles’ feature in 13 languages, including English, Japanese, and Chinese, as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance user convenience and expand fan experiences. We will continue introducing new features." The representative also mentioned plans to expand the use of Weverse DM (a one-on-one communication service) for both HYBE and other domestic and international artists.

 

The music industry anticipates an inevitable showdown between Weverse and Berries if Kakao Enter—armed with Kakao’s powerful IT infrastructure—launches its new platform. A music industry insider commented on the competitive landscape, saying, "The fact that global music companies, tech firms, and major entertainment agencies are entering the fan platform market as new players proves the industry’s potential for growth and expansion. Since fan platforms originated in Korea and have successfully attracted global users, we look forward to seeing Korean platforms drive the international music market."

 

As album sales reach their peak and show signs of decline, the revenue streams that have traditionally sustained the K-pop industry are approaching their limits. In this context, the fandom-driven platform market is emerging as a "blue ocean" of new opportunities. 

 

Another industry source pointed out, "Just look at BTS and Squid Game—the scale of their fandoms is massive. The market for fan communities surrounding K-culture is expected to grow even larger." 

 

The source added, "This market could expand beyond simply buying and selling content or merchandise, incorporating secondary intellectual property (IP) creations. However, there are still very few platforms available for these fandoms to fully engage with. That’s why there’s so much anticipation surrounding new fan platforms."

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]