At the recent All That Matters conference in Singapore, key industry leaders from Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Amazon Music, Netflix, and Gold House highlighted Asia’s accelerating influence in global content creation. The conversation delved into how anime, K-pop, and AI are pivotal in this transformative wave, illuminating the region’s rise as a formidable global content powerhouse.
Moderated by Angel Lee, who oversees music business and legal matters for Netflix across Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand, and Taiwan, the event’s “East Meets Everywhere” session demonstrated the dynamic expansion of Asian intellectual property across music, anime, gaming, and film.
Redefining Global Content with Asian Influence
Bing Chen, executive chair and CEO of Gold House, underscored the monumental shift taking place. “Historically, global has meant going to the West. The largest trend we’re all complicit in is ensuring that Asia doesn’t need the West — Asia has Asia,” he explained. Chen highlighted how K-pop is intertwining with Indian music and emphasized the need for franchises to transcend star-driven narratives. “’Pokémon’ is the best example,” he pointed out, noting its successful world-building strategy that thrives without celebrity dependency.
Case Studies: Success Stories and Strategic Moves
Nobu Nakatake of Sony Music Entertainment Japan spoke to the enduring effort required to build a global fanbase. He cited “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,” which has grossed over $600 million globally, as a prime example. “Building the fan base on a global basis is tenacious work,” Nakatake remarked, emphasizing the franchise’s roots in a manga series before it became a worldwide phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Frankie Yaptinchay from Amazon Music touted the platform’s wide-reaching engagement, particularly through unforgettable moments like booking K-pop sensation Twice for “Amazon Music Live” following Thursday Night Football. “We saw record viewership,” he noted, attributing this success to the integration of Twitch, Prime Video, and direct fan interaction. Yaptinchay stressed the importance of authenticity in collaborations, stating, “It encapsulated all the different pieces that made Amazon special.”
Empowering Artists and Embracing Innovation
The panelists advocated for fostering direct connections between artists. “Artists should speak with the same language with an artist or a creator,” advised Nakatake, cautioning against forced label-driven collaborations. Adding to this, Chen highlighted how cultivating dedicated fan communities can yield significant influence, encouraging creators to enhance fan experiences with unique privileges.
Chen further urged artists to leverage AI technology, despite potential creativity hurdles: “There is, unfortunately, a very high direct correlation between the volume of content created and the size of audience.” Yaptinchay pushed for stronger Asian representation in global institutions like the Grammys, referencing the efforts of the Gold Music Alliance. Nakatake concluded by advocating for cultural authenticity: “Be distinct with respecting your cultural identity, not copying the Western top hit chart songs.”
As discussions at All That Matters made clear, Asia is poised not only to participate but to lead in the global content arena, driven by strategic collaboration, storytelling innovation, and cultural authenticity. Through anime, K-pop, and AI advancements, the region is crafting a narrative that promises to redefine global entertainment.
