Disney Seeking Next Big K-Pop Hit After Striking Ten-Project Deal With Kakao

Disney Korea has struck a deal with Kakao Entertainment to launch what they are calling a “K-culture fund” and is aiming to pursue around 10 projects over the medium to long term.

The pair will “collaborate on projects that bring together K-pop IP and Disney’s stories and characters,” they saiid, “aiming to take the K-IP ecosystem to the next level and create new opportunities on the global stage.”

Disney and Kakao stressed that the “K-culture fund” still needs to be ironed out, but they hope to do it. Neither company put a figure on the fund.

Disney is a major player in Korea, with hits including Moving, its first original show in the region. It streams a number of K-pop movies and docs including ones focused on giants like BTS.

Founded in 2021, Kakao Entertainment is an offshoot of Korean media giant Kakao, owning agencies, production companies and entertainment arms.

In coming together, Disney and Kakao are clearly looking at the runaway success of KPop Demon Hunters, made by Sony and shown to the world on Netflix. The animated musical about rival K-pop bands who live double lives as demon hunters was undoubtedly the biggest hit of last year and has had a major impact on K-culture.

“K-pop today has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon shaping trends across areas including fashion, beauty, and lifestyle,” a spokesperson for Kakao Entertainment said. “Through this partnership, we look forward to bringing K-pop artists and music together with Disney’s stories – which have been loved around the world for generations – and expanding them into new worlds. We expect this to offer global fans a special kind of joy and inspiration that they have never experienced before.”