Platform Closure and Creator Creep: What We Can Learn From Korean Indie Musicians

Abstract

This article examines how independent musicians in South Korea adapt to digital platforms. The Korean music industry provides a valuable case study because platformization, vertical integration, and what we call “platform closure” occurred earlier and to a significantly greater degree than in the West. This has resulted in Korean indie musicians migrating from music streaming services to social media platforms and adapting their practices to compete with content creators. While we detail the distinct characteristics of the Korean music and platform sector, we argue that Korea’s leading position in the global music industry makes the case of Korean indie musicians illustrative for musicians and creative artists adapting to platformization everywhere.