All five members of FIFTY FIFTY are now officially registered with the Korea Music Performers’ Association (KMPA / 음실련), strengthening their rights to receive both domestic and international neighboring rights royalties.
On November 20, KMPA announced that Kina, Hana, and Yewon were already registered, and with the group now eligible to receive royalties distributed through KMPA’s multilateral partnership with SoundExchange — the U.S. authority for digital performance rights — Chanelle Moon and Athena have joined as well.
This means the entire five-member lineup will now receive full royalty settlements for overseas digital usage.
Korea’s Only Organization for Performers’ Rights
KMPA is Korea’s only official management body responsible for collecting and distributing neighboring rights fees for performing artists. Through partnerships with global royalty agencies like SoundExchange, KMPA plays a key role in protecting revenue for K-pop and Korean music performers worldwide.
The association recently drew attention when Red Velvet’s Wendy became its 50,000th member, followed by the addition of fromis_9 — highlighting the growing importance of structured royalty management in the K-pop industry.
“Global K-pop usage keeps rising”
KMPA Executive Director Kim Seung-min stated that the demand for K-pop in the U.S. continues to grow, and as a result, overseas royalty payouts for Korean artists are also increasing every year.
“Through partnerships like ours, performers can receive their international revenue more quickly and conveniently,” Kim said.
“We will continue supporting artists so they can protect their rights and focus on performances and creative work.”
Strengthening Legal Protection for Performers
Since its establishment in 1988, KMPA has served as a government-designated collection body under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It manages royalty collection for all genres — including pop, classical, and traditional music — while maintaining a stable rights-protection system for performers.
With decades of experience and a strong settlement infrastructure, the association continues to expand benefits such as no membership fee, legal support, and customized welfare programs.
With all five members now registered, FIFTY FIFTY joins a growing list of K-pop acts expanding their global rights protection — securing fair revenue from music played around the world.