‘The era of participation’: K-pop’s masterclass in fan loyalty
ILMC’s K-pop session looked at digital innovation behind its rise, fans as partners in success, booming merch sales, and lessons Japan hopes to learn
Feature By Eamonn Forde | 10 March 2026
The K-Pop: A Masterclass In Fan Loyalty panel at ILMC in London brought together Takayuki Suzuki (global strategy & business development at Norder.AI), Bernie Cho (president of DFSB Kollective), Mandi Salerno (founder of Mandu Digital), and Steve Seo (co-founder and CEO of Bemyfriends).
The K-pop boom, said Cho, came out of “the perfect storm” in the early 2000s as music consumption shifted from the TV to, eventually, smartphones. He was working at MTV and tracked the consumption shifts. “It…
You've used your free article this month
Continue reading with a free account, or subscribe for unlimited access to all of our news, features and reports.
