K-Pop Chart to Unify Streaming Data from Korea, China, and Japan

Kakao’s Melon, Tencent Music, and Line Music to launch unified K-pop chart that pools streaming data from South Korea, China, and Japan

May 26, 2026 By Mandy Dalugdug

Kakao Entertainment has confirmed that the Global-K Chart,  a pan-Asian K-pop ranking developed with Tencent Music Entertainment and Line Music,  will launch in June.

The chart will aggregate K-pop streaming and engagement data from Kakao’s Melon in South Korea, Tencent Music ‘s platforms in China and Southeast Asia, and Line Music in Japan into a single ranking.

Kakao Entertainment announced the launch timeline on Tuesday (May 26), according to several news outlets in South Korea, including Chosun Biz . The reports come months after Kakao Entertainment signed separate memoranda of understanding with Tencent Music and Line Music in December.

The chart was previously referred to under the tentative name “K-pop Artist Chart” when the MOU was signed in December 2025. It now has its official name: the Global-K Chart .

According to a press release issued by Kakao Entertainment when the partnership was announced, the chart will “calculate rankings based on comprehensive metrics of music enthusiasts’ engagement and streaming activity across all participating platforms.”

Tencent Music Entertainment operates QQ Music , Kugou Music , Kuwo Music , and JOOX – platforms with a significant presence across mainland China and Southeast Asia.

Line Music is integrated with the Line messaging app, which, according to Kakao Entertainment, is used by 99 million people in Japan.

> “A chart participated in by all three platforms will become a global standard that accurately reflects K-pop trends.” Melon representative (via The Asia Business Daily )

A Melon representative said, as per The Asia Business Daily: “A chart participated in by all three platforms will become a global standard that accurately reflects K-pop trends.”

“We plan to hold various events before and after the launch and engage with fans around the world.”

Ahead of the launch, Melon said it will upload congratulatory video messages from artists including NCT Taeyong , Le Sserafim , ALPHA DRIVE ONE , and AND2BLE  across its platform and social media channels, The Asia Business Daily reported .

When the MOUs were announced in December, Kakao Entertainment co-CEO Joseph Chang said: “It is very meaningful to introduce a global-standard chart for K-pop amid its ongoing boom, created by three companies spearheading the Asian music industry.”

“The ‘K-pop Artist Chart’ will add new value to the industry, artists, and music enthusiasts by delivering a reliable standard.

“Going forward, Kakao Entertainment will continue to contribute to the growth of the K-pop ecosystem and the elevation of its global influence.”

Line Music CEO Jun Masuda said at the time: “We are very glad that Japan’s Line Music has partnered with Asia’s leading music streaming services to launch the ‘K-pop Artist Chart,’ which will serve as a new metric for K-pop.”

“K-pop is in high demand in Japan, and being able to reflect every activity of Japanese followers on a global chart will be a meaningful initiative.

“Alongside such a global move by K-pop, Line Music will also continue striving to expand the ecosystem for J-pop and Japanese artists as a music platform.”

The Global-K Chart arrives amid a broader push to integrate Asian music consumption data into global rankings.

In November 2025, Luminate – the data company that powers the Billboard charts – struck a deal with Tencent Music to incorporate Chinese listening data into its global statistics for the first time.

Melon ‘s own data has been incorporated into Billboard charts since June 2023, when Kakao Entertainment signed a partnership with Luminate .

Melon has been operating for over two decades and has served as a key indicator of K-pop popularity in South Korea through its TOP100 and HOT100 charts. According to app tracker WiseApp data cited in a 2025 MBW report , Melon counted 6.01 million monthly active users, making it the second-largest music streaming service in South Korea behind YouTube Music .

Kakao Entertainment restructured its leadership in March , appointing JungHee Ko as co-CEO alongside Joseph Chang . Under the new structure, Ko oversees platform services including Melon , while Chang leads a newly established Global Growth Center focused on expanding the company’s international reach. Music Business Worldwide

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_Originally reported by [Music Business Worldwide](https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/kakaos-melon-tencent-music-and-line-music-to-launch-unified-k-pop-chart-in-june-that-pools-streaming-data-from-south-korea-china-and-japan/)._