By: Gina Sisco | 16, March, 2023
“How to Work in the K-pop Industry” by K-pop Conexus and Conexus Labs is a quick yet insightful and informative read I had the opportunity to enjoy over the last couple of days. As a young music industry professional with hopes of working in the K-pop industry, I am always looking for new literature or information about working in the Korean Entertainment industry. I have only interned in the western music industry and have mainly been taught about the practices and structure of the western music industry in school. There is much about the Korean Entertainment industry that remains a mystery to me. Consequently, I was thrilled to come across this new book by K-pop Conexus. Written by an Ex-HYBE HR manager, “How to Work in the K-pop Industry” provides clear and detailed insider information on Korean Entertainment companies’ structures and jobs, while providing you with all the tips and instructions you need to ace your K-pop industry interview.
The book is structured in four parts, making the organization of the content easy to follow, and allowing for each section of the book to dive deeply, yet concisely into each topic of interest. My personal favorite is the first section; however, I would like to briefly cover each of the sections!
Section one covers the job composition of a K-pop Entertainment company, as well as describes how jobs are organized and defined in the industry. I have always been fascinated with the differences in company structure and differences in jobs and responsibilities in the Korean Entertainment industry, versus the western industry. So I was delighted to see such an in-depth explanation of many of the concepts I was curious about in this section. It also does a great job of highlighting the differences between the major labels, and providing easy-to-follow diagrams and images which makes the book very visually appealing. The first section offers extremely valuable information and is a must-read for anyone interested in working in the K-pop Industry.
Section two continued to impress me by providing a step-by-step detailed guide describing the recruitment and job application process, with detailed follow-along images and application examples both in Korean and English. K-pop Conexus goes above and beyond in this section to give readers the most descriptive and realistic look at the application process possible, even down to providing examples of possible projects an entertainment company would require you to complete depending on your selected job. The thoroughness was consistent in quality from start to end. Conexus includes tips, definitions, and helpful links that give the book an interactive feel that makes the reading feel more personal. I could truly go on and on and how essential of a tool this information is, and how extremely impressed I am by the content.
Section three, while comparably shorter than the other sections of the book, is just as chock full of helpful information as its predecessors. This section provides important information on how to work in the K-pop industry, which is helpful for someone hoping to pursue a career in the Korean Entertainment industry. For so long I've felt confused about where to start—often wondering, “how can I even begin to work in the Korean Entertainment industry? "This question, out of many others related to entering the K-pop industry, is effectively answered in this section. Conexus provides multiple entertainment internship and volunteer opportunities, with detailed descriptions and links to important websites. Beyond this, however, Conexus offers advice on other ways to get involved in the industry on your own, like suggesting educational programs, books, and programs for readers to use to further their knowledge.
Finally, in section four, we are introduced to some foreign employees working in the K-pop industry, and as readers, we are able to hear about their experience and advice in a job application-style interview. I found this information to be especially compelling because it's rare to be able to sit and chat with people doing what I aspire to do. Hearing these foreigners' stories and advice provided me with a fresh perspective, and I feel as though now I am even more prepared for the job search in the Korean Entertainment industry. Section four provides a full circle to the book, and the way it was executed left me feeling fulfilled and motivated after reading it.
Overall, I appreciate my time reading this book, and I’d like to thank both Conexus Lab and Fan to Band for the opportunity to dive in and share my genuine thoughts on it. If you want to work in the K-pop industry as a foreigner but don’t know where to start, this book is an essential first step. If you are planning on applying for a position at a Korean Entertainment company soon, this is also the book for you. The step-to-step feel of the e-book, along with the visually stimulating graphics and diagrams make it easy to follow and feel more like you are sitting in a classroom dynamically learning than just simply reading a book.
While at this point I’ve nearly exhausted my praises, I want to leave my review with a few quotes from the book. K-pop is becoming more and more globally popular every day, and yet “the market is still closed and information asymmetry is high.” Because of this, foreigners looking for a job in the Korean Entertainment industry tend to struggle since there are few opportunities for prior experience. Conexus believes that in order for the industry to continue, “the growth and support of those who are essential to the industry” must also be supported. Conexus’ goal is to support the next generation of global industry professionals through education and through this book, and I can clearly see they are achieving their goal.
So, are you interested in starting a career in the K-pop industry? It may feel impossible at this point, or you may have no idea where to start, but anything can be achieved with the backing of powerful knowledge. My final verdict is yes, I enjoyed and approve of “How to Work in the K-pop Industry” by K-pop Conexus. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in working in K-Pop.
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