AI music is already charting. Korea is slow to respond
An artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted song's entry into Melon's Top 100 chart has exposed a regulatory vacuum over AI music in Korea, just weeks after the country's largest music copyright collective withdrew its first attempt to allow the registration of such works. "Forest of the Heart," released in May by YouTube creator Joseon HipHop, peaked at No. 89 on the Top 100 chart and No. 99 on the…
An AI-assisted song named "Forest of the Heart" debuted on Melon's Top 100 chart in Korea, unveiling a regulatory gap surrounding AI-generated music, just months after the nation's primary music copyright collective halted efforts to permit the registration of such creations. "Forest of the Heart," composed by YouTube creator Joseon HipHop and released in May, ascended to No. 89 on Melon's Top 100 chart and No. 99 on its daily chart.
The song's popularity was driven by word-of-mouth, particularly among listeners in their 40s. Despite its brief presence on the charts, the track demonstrated that AI-assisted music can already achieve mainstream recognition in Korea, even before comprehensive guidelines on authorship and royalties are established. In March, the Board of Audit and Inspection disclosed that 29 composers submitted over 200 songs each to the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) in 2024, with approximately 5,200 of those songs exhibiting characteristics of generative AI.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Korea moves to establish ground rules for AI-created music koreatimes.co.kr
