Hundreds of Korean pop songs under music label Kakao Entertainment are set to return to Spotify, a move that would placate legions of fans, according to a report from trade publication Variety.
The streaming giant earlier blamed the removal of KPOP songs on its expired licensing agreement with the Korean distributor "despite best efforts".
With the renewed deal, entire discographies of well-loved KPOP artists will once again be accessible through the platform across the globe, including for the first time in South Korea where Spotify launched in February, the Variety report said.
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The social media uproar from fans of the label’s artists which include IU and APink, as well as from appeals from the artists themselves, was said to have pushed Kakao to return to the negotiating table and settle with the terms "not dramatically different from those originally offered," the report said citing a source.
“We are pleased that Kakao Entertainment’s content and artists are back on Spotify, allowing our 345M+ global listeners across 170 countries to once again enjoy the music they love,” a Spotify spokesperson said.
“We are delighted that our Korean listeners will now also be able to enjoy this local music alongside our 70 million+ songs and 4 billion+ playlists. We remain committed to making a positive impact on Korea’s music streaming ecosystem through our partnerships with artists, labels, and local rights holders," they added.
Kakao Entertainment Corp.(previously Kakao M) also released 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. 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," it said.
An earlier appeal from rap group Epik High's Tablo that earned thousands of tractions from fans had taken a jab at the dispute, noting it's always the artists that suffer "when businesses place greed over art".
