Hundreds of songs from popular K-pop acts including Sistar, IU, Monsta X, Epik High, and more have returned to Spotify after being removed on March 1 over an expired licensing agreement. Kakao Entertainment, one of Korea’s largest distribution companies, announced the news of a renewed licensing agreement with Spotify in a statement.
“Through its diverse partnerships around the world including Spotify, Kakao Entertainment hopes that music lovers around the world can easily access its artists’ and music content to enjoy K-pop,” a Kakao spokesperson said in a statement. “Kakao Entertainment remains committed to the Korean music ecosystem and its growth and will continue protecting the rights of artists, labels and local rights holders going forward.”
A Spotify spokesperson added, “We remain committed to making a positive impact on Korea’s music streaming ecosystem through our partnerships with artists, labels, and local rights holders.”