Warner Chappell Music UK (WCM) recently partnered with Seoul-based K-Pop powerhouse JYP Publishing to host a songwriting camp in the Korean capital.

WCM selected five UK-signed songwriters to take part in the camp, including Ari Pensmith (Chris Brown, Lily Allen, Burna Boy), Bullysongs (Galantis, Sigala, Paloma Faith), Josh Record (Anne Marie, Dua Lipa and Little Mix), Kloe (Kehlani, Miley Cyrus, Kesha) Swedish songwriter Linnea Södahl (Zara Larsson), as well as Jimmy Brown from Korea.

JYP Publishing is a music publisher under the JYP Entertainment banner, which was founded by artist and producer JY Park (aka Park Jin-young) in 2008.

The company’s roster of songwriters includes founder JY Park, as well as Hong Jisang, Sim Eunjee, Tommy Park, Kim Eunsoo, Woo Min Lee ‘collapsedone’, Woo Rhee ‘RAINSTONE’ and various others.

Organized by Warner Chappell Music’s Paul Smith, Vice President, A&R and International Songwriters, the lyrical melody and topline writers were paired with JYP producers and tasked with writing songs for JYP Entertainment stars TWICE GOT7, ITZY and Stray Kids, with 14 songs written over the four days.

“What we’re trying to do is really think globally as a community of song writers.” Paul Smith, Warner Chappell Music

“What we’re trying to do is really think globally as a community of song writers,” commented Smith on the collaboration between the two companies.

“You never really know where the next big thing is coming from anymore. Music is so global and you have to be everywhere at once, as opposed to just focusing on your own territory, or local territories, or America for example. Everyone is looking to America, but there is a ton of stuff coming out of [the] East now. It’s a real focus for us.”

Added Smith: “A big part of what I’m trying to do now is partner with my colleagues around the world and make sure we can bring the best of UK and Europe into markets that they’ve never worked in before.

“Every writer I speak to, whether they are signed [with WCM] or not, has either been out to Korea or is looking to go to Korea to write for K-Pop. It just made sense to put the UK [writers] there.”Music Business Worldwide