Prime Minister Kim Minseok visited HYBE on the 21st, where he personally examined the K-pop production infrastructure and held a town hall-style meeting with HYBE employees

 

The visit followed recent stops at Nexon and CJ ENM and was intended to assess firsthand the global competitiveness of Korea's content industry and reaffirm the government's commitment to fostering the cultural content sector as a future national growth engine. With BTS scheduled to return as a full group in March, expectations were also raised that the global achievements of HYBE artists such as SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, KATSEYE, and ILLIT would drive further growth in the K-pop industry.

During the visit, Prime Minister Kim Minseok toured state-of-the-art production facilities—including choreography practice rooms, listening rooms, and recording studios—closely reviewing the entire process involved in creating K-pop content. In the practice room, he watched ENHYPEN members rehearsing their choreography and encouraged them, praising the passion and energy on site.

The town Hall meeting that followed was conducted in an "open dialogue" format, allowing young HYBE employees and the prime minister to freely exchange questions and answers. Rather than using formal titles, participants addressed one another by first names, calling him "Minseok" instead of "Prime Minister," fostering a horizontal and open atmosphere for discussion.

Prime Minister Kim asked detailed questions about HYBE's global star development system and evolving status of K-culture, listening directly to voices from the field. Employees shared their global activity experiences, IP expansion strategies, and the need for improvement in the production environment, while also proposing areas where government-level support is needed.

Emphasizing that "the roots of the Korean Wave lie in liberal democracy," Prime Minister Kim said, "It is because we have protected freedom that the Korean Wave we see today has been possible." He added, "The image of BTS holding a comeback stage at Gwanghangmun Square—a place protected by light sticks—is highly symbolic," and pledged that the government would support the continued flourishing of K-culture and encourage HYBE's growth into a world-class cultural company.

Regarding measures to expand K-pop globally that are currently under discussion at the Popular Culture Exchange Committee, he stated, "As prime minister, I will take a close interest in ensuring that detailed tasks are clearly defined and implemented without disruption." 

Prime Minister Kim also remarked, "At the core of the K-pop ecosystem are people," adding that the government would review multifaceted policy support, including creating an environment where creators can focus on their work with peace of mind and fostering young talent.

Concluding the town hall meeting, he said, "The passion of the young employees I witnessed today makes me optimistic about the bright future of Korea's culture and content industries," encouraging them by nothing that "each creator and industry professional is a civilian diplomat and innovator expanding Korea's culture territory." 

Finally, he emphasized, "Amid the new wave of momentum that BTS's full group return will bring, K-pop will once again astonish the world," and reaffirmed that the government would spare no effort as a steadfast partner in establishing Korea as a leading cultural nation.

Original article: Aju News