Static Waves, the Amsterdam headquartered and now Seoul-based media company focused on FAST channel creation and distribution, content production, and ad sales, has partnered with South Korean broadcasting company Arirang TV to launch the first ever FAST channel dedicated to the wildly popular music and cultural phenomenon known as K-Pop. K-Wave will launch this coming January via ZEASN platforms in the US, Europe, and Asia, which include TCL, Vestel, and HiSense TV+ connected TVs pre-installed with ZEASN’s WHALE OS.
K-Wave will feature exclusive content, including original series, live concerts featuring the biggest K-pop stars in the world, documentaries on K-pop stars ushering in music and fashion trends, dance instruction videos, behind-the-scenes clips and more.
To connect with the booming Korean media industry and co-create K-Wave and the production of original content and formats, Static Waves has established a Korean business entity – Static Waves Korea – based in Seoul. Veteran TV producer, director, and manager Andrew Jaehuyk Lee is Managing Director.
“This is an incredibly exciting time to be launching the world’s first FAST channel dedicated to K-pop,” said Lee. “K-pop has never been bigger. It’s the number one music genre on Spotify and Korean content in general resonating with audiences around the world. Making K-Wave available on FAST platforms will only serve to make this cultural phenomenon more accessible to audiences on a global scale. I’m thrilled to be joining Static Waves at a pivotal time in the growth of FAST and of K-pop.”
For its first original series, Static Waves is partnering with CJ ENM’s Mnet and RAPA (Korea Radio Promotion Association) to co-produce a documentary series called Choom Planet. The series follows leading Korean K-Pop choreographer Baek Koo-young as he prepares for a special performance with a group of K-Pop fans in Europe who cover K-Pop dances, giving an in-depth look at the appeal of K-Pop as a global pop culture phenomenon. The series will be broadcast on CJ ENM’s music-focused channel Mnet and M2 YouTube channel, and will premiere on K-Wave in February 2024.