A Startup on a Mission to Expand K-Pop Artists' Freedom

K-pop is thriving for industry veterans and entrepreneurs alike, but is a complex industry. This case is about launching a disruptive media brand that helps artists secure lucrative sponsorships and partnerships through strategic integration and content marketing. How should a start-up in the K-pop industry strategize to cater to A-listers and/or the under-served part of the market? Is catering purely to the under-served market a better strategy? While disrupting the existing business model and trying to create a two-sided marketplace, how important is communication and research in the K-pop industry?

- Teaching and applying concepts related to entrepreneurship and new business ventures, using the K-pop industry seen through an insider’s lens (Ian). - Understanding that a new business venture cannot thrive when solely based on relationships established in the past, or by virtue of having worked in the same industry before. - The importance of thorough research before starting a venture and validating the business model, which is critical to making or breaking a new business. In an entrepreneurial course, the case covers the following broad themes, with the K-pop industry as the backdrop: 1. Researching how an industry is set up, the business flow, who does what, who has what, and who plays what role at which point of decision-making. 2. The opportunities and limitations of influencer marketing. 3. The critical need (notwithstanding the ubiquity of ‘disruption’) for careful analysis and planning for new business ventures, whatever the industry.