Major entertainment groups posted standout 2024 earnings growth, with Korea continuing to set the global content pace; Global X K-Pop And Culture Etf (03158.HK) opened up ~2.5%

NewTimeSpace – 15 Jan 09:45 Global X K-Pop And Culture Etf (03158.HK) gapped +2.5% at the open and is now up >20% y/y. The fund offers one-click access to the global breakout of K-pop, K-drama and K-beauty, while its 0.4-0.5 correlation with A-share consumer names and HK internet counters helps dampen portfolio volatility.

HKEX data show 03158.HK tracks the Solactive K-pop and Culture Index, compiled by Germany’s Solactive AG and released 11 Dec 2023. Base date 13 Jan 2017 = 1,000, KRW-denominated, net total-return, rebalanced semi-annually on the second Friday of Jan & Jul. The basket currently holds 30 stocks with an aggregate cap of ~US$100 bn, covering the full “K-wave ecosystem” of entertainment, beauty, food, gaming and internet.

By segment, c. 38% is anchored in the Big 4 talent agencies (SM, HYBE, YG, JYP), directly levered to album sales, concerts and IP derivatives; 12% is allocated to Korean food (Nongshim, Samyang) and 11% to cosmetics (Amorepacific, Missha), capturing the “eat + use” halo spend; the remainder stretches to fandom platforms (Weverse, DearU), indie game studios and idol-economy SaaS, completing the “content → fan → spend” loop.

Omdia notes Korean content is the most in-demand non-English catalogue worldwide. Korean FAST channels boast both a massive domestic viewer base and global appeal, positioning them to ride the next wave of U.S. FAST market expansion.

Company filings (NewTimeSpace Research desk): HYBE posted 2024 sales of ₩527.8 bn but net profit of only ₩1.4 bn; 3Q25 loss widened, highlighting margin pressure. SM Entertainment booked 2024 operating profit of ₩16.0 bn, yet 3Q25 already delivered stronger cumulative figures. JYP’s 2024 net profit of ₩38.8 bn was followed by 3Q25 record highs in both sales and profit, underscoring stability.

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