Hanteo Global, KBS Media sign MOU to launch global K

Hanteo Global and KBS Media are joining forces to expand the Hanteo Music Awards (HMA) into a broader global Korean culture festival, the two companies said Thursday.

Under the agreement,signed on Wednesday at theKBS Media Center in Mapo District, western Seoul,the companies will jointly develop H-Con, or Hallyu Convention — a large-scale global festival designed to bring together K-pop fans from around the world. The festival will feature K-pop concerts, events for fan communities and exhibitions.

The companies also plan to establish what they describe as a “one-stop partnership” covering the development of H-Con, the use of Hanteo Global’s K-pop data, the promotion of a global fandom platform Whosfan and the production of high-quality broadcast content.

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The centerpiece of H-Con will be the HMAs, a music awards show based on data from Hanteo Chart — Korea’s first music chart with a 34-year history.

“It is meaningful to work with Hanteo Global, which has played a key role in the history of K-pop while setting standards for objective data, to develop the HMAs and the large-scale H-Con festival,” said Han Dong-gyu, head of the Content Production Division at KBS Media. “We will draw on KBS Media’s high-quality production capabilities and global media network to develop the HMAs into an unrivaled awards show and H-Con into a global festival that music fans around the world can trust and enjoy.”

Hanteo Global also highlighted the partnership’s potential to expand the HMAs’ global presence.

“By partnering with a public broadcaster that has led Korea’s broadcasting and media industry, the HMAs have reached a turning point in its bid to establish itself as a leading global music awards show and major event,” said Kwak Young-ho, CEO of Hanteo Global. “We will bring together Hanteo Global’s big data accumulated over 34 years, AI technology and artist network to develop H-Con and the HMAs into cultural platforms that demonstrate K-culture’s global influence.”