South Korea’s music industry has taken a unified stance against the growing influence of artificial intelligence, signaling a critical moment for creators and rights holders. On February 26, six major organizations launched the K-Music Rights Organization Mutual Growth Committee in Seoul, emphasizing that the coming two years would play a decisive role in determining the future of the country’s music ecosystem.
Committee leadership conveyed during the launch event that this period would effectively decide whether Korea’s music industry could sustain itself amid rapid technological change. It was also indicated that isolated efforts by individual organizations would not be sufficient to counter the scale of disruption, and that coordinated action across the entire industry would be essential.
The coalition brings together key stakeholders, including the Korea Music Copyright Association, the Korea Music Content Association, the Korea Music Performers Federation, the Korea Recording Industry Association, the Korea Entertainment Producers Association, and the Together Music Copyright Association. Collectively, these entities represent nearly all participants in the domestic music value chain, from creators to producers and distributors.
Declaration Calls for Stronger Protections
As part of its initial actions, the committee introduced an AI-era music rights declaration outlining three key demands. These include prohibiting the use of creative works for AI training without explicit consent, enforcing transparency in how AI systems generate content, and establishing clear legal distinctions between human-created and AI-generated music.
Industry representatives suggested that these measures are necessary to safeguard intellectual property rights and ensure fair compensation for creators in an environment increasingly shaped by machine-generated outputs.
Early Warning Signs from AI-Generated Music
South Korea has already encountered challenges stemming from AI-generated content. A notable case involved the song Love Is 24 Hours, associated with trot singer Hong Jin-young. The track was found to have been composed using EvoM, an artificial intelligence program developed by Professor Ahn Chang-wook at GIST.
Following this discovery, the Korea Music Copyright Association suspended royalty payments for AI-generated works in July 2022. Reports indicated that EvoM had produced hundreds of thousands of compositions over several years, with a portion of these tracks commercially distributed and generating significant revenue.
Legal experts explained that the decision was based on existing copyright law, which defines protected works as expressions of human thought or emotion. Since AI-generated content does not meet this criterion, there was no legal basis for distributing royalties.
Legal and Ethical Gaps Persist
The EvoM case highlighted broader structural issues, particularly the gap between technological advancement and legal frameworks. AI systems typically rely on large datasets of existing music for training, often without obtaining permission from rights holders. This raises concerns about unauthorized use and the potential replication of existing styles or melodies.
Another complication arises from the lack of legal recognition for vocal identity. Under current regulations, a singer’s voice is not classified as a protected work, making it difficult to address unauthorized AI-generated voice cloning. This limitation has contributed to a surge in synthetic content, including misleading or harmful material.
K-pop artists have been especially affected due to their global popularity. Groups such as BTS, NewJeans, and BLACKPINK have reportedly become frequent targets of AI-generated imitations, with some audiences struggling to distinguish between authentic and synthetic performances.
Industry and Global Responses
Major entertainment companies have begun responding by investing in AI technologies. For instance, HYBE acquired a controlling stake in AI voice firm Supertone, signaling a strategic move to integrate such capabilities internally rather than relying solely on external regulation.
Globally, the music industry has also shifted its approach. Leading companies such as Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music initially pursued legal action against AI startups but later moved toward licensing agreements and negotiated settlements. This transition suggests that coexistence between AI and traditional music production is increasingly viewed as unavoidable.
Building a Transparent Future
To address ongoing challenges, the newly formed committee plans to develop a blockchain-based system to track AI-generated music and its distribution. This infrastructure aims to link international identification standards with platform-level tracking tools, enabling transparent and verifiable records of how AI systems are trained and used.
Meanwhile, the Korea Music Copyright Association has implemented stricter registration requirements, mandating declarations that submitted works are primarily created by humans. While AI-assisted works may still qualify for protection under certain conditions, fully AI-generated compositions remain excluded.
Outlook for the Next Two Years
Despite these proactive measures, several challenges remain unresolved. These include limited legal protections for vocal identity, ambiguity around the copyright status of AI-generated works, and enforcement difficulties against unauthorized content on digital platforms.
The formation of the industry-wide coalition reflects South Korea’s determination to address these issues at both institutional and technological levels. Whether these efforts can translate into meaningful reform and effective safeguards will likely become evident within the next two years, a period widely regarded as critical for shaping the future of music in the age of artificial intelligence.
