(Yonhap Interview) Spotify committed to exporting K-culture, says APAC executive

South Korea has emerged as a cultural powerhouse, and Spotify, the music streaming giant, is dedicated to spreading K-culture worldwide, according to Gautam Talwar, the company's general manager for Asia-Pacific. In an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul, Talwar emphasized that Korea stands as a vibrant hub for creative expression, boasting a significant influence in domains such as entertainment, esports, and webtoons. He highlighted that Korea is "punching above its weight" in the global cultural landscape.

Talwar noted that K-pop holds a special place in Spotify's history, as the company was an early investor in the genre back in 2014. The platform introduced the first playlist dedicated to K-pop, which later evolved into a hub for this genre. Since then, K-pop has facilitated the discovery of new artists and genres, experiencing a surge in popularity across various music movements like indie, rock, and electronic music.

According to Spotify, K-rock streaming on the platform surged by 58% year-over-year in 2025, while K-indie streaming rose by 68% compared to the previous year. Listeners globally discovered Korean artists' music more than 2 billion times, generating royalties worth 25% year-over-year, with a significant portion coming from outside South Korea.

When asked about Spotify's plans for its South Korean operations next year, Talwar stressed the importance of creating physical opportunities that bring artists and their fans closer together. He explained that fans are craving human connection and shared experiences, and this is where Spotify's mission comes into play, by fostering these physical opportunities.

One such initiative is the Spotify House, a pop-up venue in Seoul that hosts live performances, content, and activities from Thursday to Sunday. Spotify also aims to grow businesses within the local music industry and assist them in elevating the profile of Korean music. To strengthen these efforts, the company has established culture-forward partnerships with local entities, including Naver Corp. In 2021, Spotify integrated music and podcasts from the platform into Naver's daily digital ecosystem.

As of June 2023, Spotify had become the second most-used music streaming app in South Korea, with 6.22 million users, trailing only YouTube Music, which had 9.49 million users. By the end of 2022, Spotify recorded 777 million monthly active users and 300 million subscribers on its platform.