Apple Music Preparing for Launch in Korea

[MacRumors]

Apple Music is gearing up for a launch within Korea, according to a few local media outlets within the country. As reported by The Korea Herald, no firm date has been given for the launch yet, but an official from a music copyright association in Korea confirmed that contract negotiations with Apple have gone through, so the debut is expected sometime soon.

"We formed a contract with Apple Music to begin streaming service here," said an official from Federation of Korean Music Performers. "We made agreements on how to pay the copyright fees to the artists."

Previous attempts by Apple to introduce the streaming service in Korea failed when similar terms fell through due to strict copyright laws within the country, as well as "a lack of consensus" among local associations like Korean Music Performers.

Apple Music's debut still has a few hurdles to surpass before it arrives in Korea, including the formation and signing of contracts with local music organizations like Korea Music Copyright Association and the Recording Industry Association of Korea. The company will also have to create deals with Korea's major record distributors like KT Music and LEON Entertainment, which is the owner of "Korea's top digital music streaming-download service," called "Melon."

Currently, Apple Music is available in over 100 territories including Africa, the Middle East, India, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, and Canada.

Article Link: Apple Music Preparing for Launch in Korea

 

[vooke]

Thought they were scaling down and shutting altogether

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Lot's of things 'launching' in Korea of late! /rimshot

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

#1 - Shouldn't the country be referred to as "South Korea", not just "Korea"?
#2 - Where all is Spotify available? Just curious if one is available in countries where the other isn't and vice versa.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

Apple Music is launching in Korea?

I'm pretty surprised that they would allow that, given the highly restrictive nature of the country. Still, given how far Apple have come in China, perhaps Cook has used similar negotiating skills. I imagine the store will be heavily censored, nonetheless. No doubt there will be lots of good music for them to listen to, even so.

 

[MH01]

Apple is getting serious with Samsung !!! Time for pain and suffering , unleash AW on korea!!

Don't mess with TC! Jobs thermonuclear !

 

[Haxley]

You should really say South Korea

 

[xaqt93]

Apple is pushing onto new turf...Haha.

 

[fyun89]

Good news. I really hope that more foreign companies to penetrate the Korean market. Im Korean and been watching many foreign companies fail in the country.. Thus the market is lacking competition and lacks innovation..
Hopefully I can also listen to larger collection of K-pops here in the US.

 

[Kroner]

#2 - Where all is Spotify available? Just curious if one is available in countries where the other isn't and vice versa.

This site compared the avaiability of the two services in February.

 

[John.B]

Ah, yes, the price of sovereignty...

 

[davester]

Korea move

 

[allenvanhellen]

Show Samsung how it's done (again).

 

[tonyr6]

You should really say South Korea

They should rename that country. Makes no sense calling it Korea or South Korea when the bad country to the north with the same name is the exact opposite.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

This site compared the avaiability of the two services in February.

On the one hand, ouch for Spotify being available in so many fewer countries (they're missing both China and India, while Apple Music is in both). On the other hand, Spotify must be doing much better than Apple Music in the countries where both are available, given that Spotify has twice as many subscribers with half as many countries where it's available.