Korean music rights holders are set to benefit from significantly easier royalty collection on China’s leading digital music platforms, following a series of landmark licensing agreements. China’s two largest streaming services, Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music, have formally signed licensing deals with the Korea Music Copyright Association (Komca), facilitating structured royalty collection and distribution for K-pop content.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, 3 February, by Komca. Under the agreement, China’s Music Copyright Society (MCSC) — a collective management organisation overseeing music copyright enforcement in China — will act as the intermediary to manage royalties for Korean music consumed within the country. Through a reciprocal representation arrangement between Komca and MCSC, royalties collected in China will be systematically channelled back to Komca for distribution to its members.
For years, Komca faced considerable challenges in collecting royalties from China, primarily due to the country’s stringent regulatory environment and structural limitations in its digital music market. In 2025, Komca officials undertook an official visit to Beijing, where discussions focused on K-pop licensing processes, data sharing with MCSC, and improvements to royalty collection systems.
In August 2025, former Komca vice-president Park Ha-ki, in collaboration with elected Komca president and musician Lee Si-ha, conducted direct negotiations with Tencent Music executives. These discussions examined platform management structures, licensing utilisation, and practical royalty flow mechanisms in depth. The outcome of these efforts was the signing of two major agreements: MCSC finalised its contract with Tencent Music in November 2025, followed by a September 2025 agreement with NetEase Cloud Music. Both agreements include retroactive provisions to cover previously unlicensed use, effectively closing longstanding gaps in royalty collection.
Lee Si-ha stated, “This represents a pivotal moment in resolving royalty challenges in China. We aim to ensure that these agreements rapidly translate into tangible royalty collection and distribution for our artists.”
Below is a summary of the recent agreements facilitating K-pop royalty management in China:
| No. | Parties Involved | Signing Date | Platform | Retroactive Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCSC – Tencent Music | November 2025 | Tencent Music | Yes | Significant step for K-pop royalty administration in China |
| 2 | MCSC – NetEase Cloud Music | September 2025 | NetEase Cloud Music | Yes | Further agreements under discussion for future years |
With these agreements now in effect, the collection and distribution of Korean music royalties in China is expected to become more transparent, stable, and efficient, marking a major milestone for the Korean music industry’s global operations.