Overview

• On Arirang TV’s K-Pop: The Next Chapter aired Aug. 20, President Lee met the creators behind the hit Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters, including co-creator Maggie Kang, TWICE’s Jihyo and Jeongyeon, producer R.Tee and critic Kim Young-dae.
• Lee pledged to build strong foundations so the cultural sector becomes a key industry, saying the government will nurture infrastructure rather than leave growth solely to private companies.
• Invoking a “support without interference” principle, he warned against political control, surveillance and blacklists that could chill artistic freedom.
• He flagged a shortage of large concert venues compared with Japan and urged new construction or adaptations of existing spaces to sustain live performance growth.
• Officials and panelists pointed to KPop Demon Hunters—produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Netflix—as proof of global demand and a case for bolstering domestic content creation and intellectual property capabilities.