In a major strategic partnership for the Korean entertainment industry, the Hanteo Global KBS Media MOU H-Con agreement was officially signed on August 26, 2026. Music data company Hanteo Global and public broadcaster subsidiary KBS Media signed a memorandum of understanding to transform the annual Hanteo Music Awards (HMA) into a mega global K-culture convention titled “H-Con” (Hallyu Convention).
The agreement brings together Hanteo Chart’s 34-year history of physical and digital music sales data with KBS Media’s worldwide broadcasting network and production capabilities.
Expanding the Hanteo Music Awards into a Global Convention
Under the newly established partnership, the companies will co-develop H-Con as an all-encompassing K-culture festival. Beyond hosting the flagship Hanteo Music Awards as its grand finale, H-Con will feature live K-pop concert lineups, fan-interactive conventions, global fandom platform integrations via Whosfan, and cultural exhibitions.
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| HANTEO GLOBAL X KBS MEDIA PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS |
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| 1. Event Name : H-Con (Hallyu Convention) & Hanteo Music Awards (HMA) |
| 2. Partner Entities : Hanteo Global Inc. & KBS Media |
| 3. Core Capabilities : 34 years of music big data + KBS global broadcasting |
| 4. Festival Scope : K-pop concerts, fan interaction booths, and exhibitions |
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Executives from both organizations highlighted that combining objective music chart data with public broadcast infrastructure will elevate the credibility and global reach of Korean music awards on an international scale.
Strategic Vision for K-Culture Infrastructure
“It is meaningful to work with Hanteo Global, setting standards for objective K-pop data, to build the HMAs and the large-scale H-Con festival,” stated Han Dong-gyu, head of Content Production at KBS Media.
Hanteo Global CEO Kwak Young-ho added that integrating Hanteo’s AI analytics and artist network with KBS’s broadcast footprint marks a turning point for Korean cultural events expanding globally.
