South Korea found tremendous success exporting soft power via K-pop and K-dramas globally for decades, establishing a strong fan base in Southeast Asia and Thailand, even during the pandemic.
Demand for K-pop entertainment has rebounded strongly following the pandemic as more concerts and fan meetings are held almost every weekend in Thailand, with most selling out quickly despite high ticket prices.
Q: How did K-pop build such a huge market in Thailand?
The Korean wave hit Thailand in the 2000s with a fresh batch of dramas and music, dethroning the influence of Taiwanese and Japanese cultural exports within a few years.
A study of fandom by Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living Asean in 2022 found K-pop had the most fans in Thailand among genres during the pandemic. K-pop also secured the largest fan base in Southeast Asia, followed by other passions like games and cooking.
To become a Korean pop artist, the process requires a long period of training before a debut. The members in a fledgling band have their personalities curated on social media gradually to build a large following via "official" accounts.
K-pop fans also create strong communities for their preferred artists on social media, sharing information and activities on how to show support, such as donations for birthday projects.
Many K-pop idols are selected from countries other than South Korea to create a connection with foreign fans. For example, Thai K-pop stars who have helped establish a fan base here include Nichkhun of 2PM, Blackpink's Lalisa "Lisa" Manoban and Bambam of boy band Got7.
Kitisak Jampathipphong, chief executive at CMO Plc, an event management and entertainment agency, said devoted Thai fans are considered high spenders, willing to spend a small fortune to show support to beloved artists.
Some Thai fans save on other expenses in order to spend on activities involving K-pop stars, he said.
K-pop events quickly sell out in Thailand and merchandise or brands that sponsor or collaborate with these artists often record a high purchase rate, said Mr Kitisak.
Q: How many Thai K-pop events are scheduled and what is the cost?
In the first quarter of 2023, more than 20 K-pop concerts and fan meetings were scheduled in Thailand, according to Ting Monthly, a social account that compiles information on the genre.
These events vary in scale, occupying large concert halls down to more modest convention halls.
In 2022, roughly 80 K-pop events took place in Thailand.
Before the pandemic, the number of events tallied 100 per year. Some weeks, three different artists held events in Thailand on the same day.
During the early part of the Korean wave a decade ago, ticket prices started at 500 baht, rising to 4,500 baht, according to Ting Monthly.
With ticket prices skyrocketing the past few years, several benefits have been added to motivate fans to pay, such as opportunities to take group photos with idols or greet them face-to-face via a "hi-touch" fan service before or after the concert.
Last year Jackson Wang's concert in Bangkok recorded the most expensive K-pop ticket in the nation's history at 18,000 baht. The VIP package offered one standing ticket, an autograph, access to a "sound check party", a commemorative VIP tour token, priority check-in, as well as an individual photo shot with Jackson Wang.
A Ting Monthly survey in 2022 found the majority of fans can afford to pay for tickets priced 2,500-3,000 baht.
Mr Kitisak said K-pop ticket prices now average 3,000 to 8,000 baht, about 10-15% higher than pre-pandemic, attributed to higher production costs from venue rental, marketing campaigns, requests from artists' companies to deliver better quality shows, as well as inflation.
Q: What is the impact of K-pop on the Thai economy and tourism?
According to the Hakuhodo study, 88.2% of respondents were willing to pay extra for services or products from companies and brands that support their favourite groups.
To create relationships with global fans of K-pop, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) last month sponsored the Blackpink concert in Bangkok.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT deputy governor for domestic marketing, said concerts by Blackpink and other foreign artists can stimulate more trips to Thailand as their devoted fans, nicknamed "Blinks", look for extended overnight stays before or after the shows.
K-pop concerts and fan meetings held in Thailand draw not only Thai fans, but also a massive audience from abroad. The recent Blackpink concerts attracted many fans from Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong to the events on Saturday and Sunday.
When Korean artists visit destinations in Thailand, they indirectly create a buzz for these places and may shine a spotlight on local experiences or foods, as their photos shared on social media can encourage fans to follow those trends, said Ms Thapanee.
She said TAT's sponsorship also helped ensure Thailand received global exposure as a tourism destination, particularly when engaging with Thai artists such as Lisa, who has 88.8 million Instagram followers.
Q: What are the business opportunities available from K-pop events?
With soaring demand for K-pop entertainment, it might help event organisers recover quickly from a downturn during the pandemic.
Mr Kitisak said Korean entertainment events have been growing since the third quarter last year and should maintain a steady pace this year.
He said the total market value of all concerts in Thailand is estimated at 5-6 billion baht this year, rising by 10-15% next year.
Mr Kitisak's company CMO targets organising 12-15 Korean events in Thailand and Southeast Asia this year, including a Tiffany Young fan meeting this weekend, which has sold more than 95% of tickets.
However, he said challenges remain for this market because of strong competitiveness and management strategies to handle higher expenses.
Ms Thapanee said while TAT plans to continue sponsoring K-pop events, the agency has to be prudent with each selection.
The crucial criteria is to gauge the benefits or opportunities the Thai tourism industry can receive from creating promotional campaigns for such events, she said.
Promoting tourism through K-pop events can help reduce risk this year as devoted fans with high spending power are likely to spend for artists they love regardless of economic conditions, said Ms Thapanee.
Q: What do brands think about presenters from K-pop bands?
Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand's largest mobile operator by subscriber base, employs superstars from Korean bands as brand presenters, including Thai-born K-pop singer Lisa and Bambam.
Lisa recently switched to AIS rival True Corporation, where the Blackpink singer was unveiled as the new brand ambassador of the TrueID app last month.
AIS chief executive Somchai Lertsutiwong said South Korea exports its soft power to the world in various formats, including food, fashion, social value and ways of life, using its dramas, movies, actors and celebrities.
In addition to performers, various Korean stars and celebrities have visited Thailand to organise meetings with Thai fans, registering great success, said Mr Somchai.
"In dramas, the shows have subtle cues that project strong soft power, such as fried chicken and the alcoholic beverage soju, which have gained traction among Thai audiences," he said.
Korean performers have become part of the company's stable of presenters for marketing campaigns and activities.
"Each presenter has strong engagement with their fans and market segments," said Mr Somchai.
They can be part of building brand awareness for corporations, he said.
"The presenters can influence consumers' perceptions of brands," said Mr Somchai.
Every marketing activity responds to the demands of consumer groups in order to enhance customer experience and engagement for services and products, he said.
