In 2019, the Hallyu Wave was a steadily growing cultural and global phenomenon for the better part of five years.

Superstars like BTS, Black Pink, and GOT7, R&B and hip-hop powerhouses like Crush, Jay Park, and DEAN, and dynamic rock and indie bands like Say Sue Me, Love X Stereo, and No Brain, helped make Korean music a vital export.

But in January 2020, everything changed.

COVID-19 swept through Asia, Europe, and North America like a hurricane, forcing everyone to adjust the defintion of “normal.” Perhaps no industry was hit harder than the entertainment industry. Dancers, creatives, musicians. Everyone making a living on live performances and studio releases saw their line of income come to a screeching halt.

In this era of COVID-19, South Korean artists have now had to re-evaluate how they connect with their fans. For bigger groups and solo artists from major labels and large fanbases, the question is more how to reach their fans. For lesser known indepdent artists, however, it’s a matter of how to make a living. Especially having to compete with K-pop juggurnauts.

This panel of artists and journalists is going to discuss, explore, and possibly answer questions surrounding how the Hallyu Wave, Korean music in particular, can survive the pandemic. Has what was once a tsunami gone back to being a drop in the ocean? Or can the exportation of Korean entertainment find new ways to take the world by storm?

Panelists:

Artists:

Annie Ko of LoveXStereo

FLANNEL ALBERT

Uzuhan

Journalists:

Ashley Griffin (MACG Productions)

Tamar Herman (Billboard, Forbes)

Sara Layne (Young Ajummah)

Moderated by Cy White