Asia-Pacific music industry organizations and artists will gather in Seoul for the global music exchange "APAC United in Music," which will be held across Seoul from Oct. 18 to 22.
The event was prepared through cooperation led by the Korea Music Label Industry Association (LIAK), together with the World Independent Network (WIN), Japan IMCJ, Australia AIR, New Zealand IMNZ, India SIMCA, and global independent music digital distribution cooperative Merlin, and will unfold as an international exchange platform consolidating the music industries of Asia and the world, consisting of the Seoul Music Forum, networking events, the Asia-Pacific Music Summit, and WINHub programs.
First, the Seoul Music Forum will address discourse and exchange centered on the Asia-Pacific music market, and will be held in cooperation with the Grand Mint Festival (GMF) and Round Festival. In a forum format that combines industry discussion and performances, it will create a space where music industry personnel and audiences breathe together. The Seoul Music Forum will take place Oct. 18 and 19 at Haneul Square in Olympic Park, Songpa, Seoul, and will feature sessions and live stages on topics such as prospects for the Asian music market, broadcasting and distribution, and international exchange networks.
On the third day, Oct. 20, an LIAK x IMCJ opening networking event will be held at Prism Lounge and Prism Hall in Hapjeong-dong, Mapo, Seoul. Domestic and international music industry figures will exchange ideas at the event, which will be held together with Lararaon and a book concert.
On the fourth day, Oct. 21, the Asia-Pacific Music Summit will be held at BRST Studio near Hongdae. It will be organized as a forum to review the music markets of major Asia-Pacific countries and discuss industrywide issues such as building sustainable networks and data-driven marketing strategies.
On the final day, Oct. 22, a WINHUB x SEOUL networking session will be held at Tap Shop Bar in Hapjeong. WIN, LIAK, Merlin and IMCJ officials and domestic and international music industry workers will meet to seek practical cooperation and partnerships.
Lee Gyu-young, president of LIAK, said APAC United in Music is not a simple event but "a venue for sustained cooperation where the Asian and global music industries can grow together," and added that he hopes Seoul will become a space at the center that creates new consolidations and possibilities.
Shin Jong-gil, secretary-general of LIAK, said the program "is a process where industry discourse, voices from the field and diverse musical practices come together," and emphasized that LIAK will act as a bridge so that international networks can lead to concrete results.
APAC United in Music will function as a platform connecting the Asia-Pacific music industry centered on Seoul, and through opportunities for experts and creators from each country to discuss and exchange ideas, it is expected to suggest a new direction for the global music ecosystem.<
[Photo] Umrehyeop
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