‘Asia will become one of the primary drivers of global touring rather than simply a destination on international routes.’
Music Business Worldwide's "Trailblazers" series profiles Tommy Jinho Yoon, founder and CEO of Korean promoter International Creative Agency (ICA), who argues that Asia is shifting from being a touring destination to becoming a central driver of the global live music business. He points to growing government backing across Southeast Asia, exemplified by Thailand's leadership publicly launching the Bangkok edition of Japan's Summer Sonic festival in 2024, as evidence that live music is now seen as a strategic economic and cultural asset rather than mere entertainment.
Yoon, whose three-decade career includes bringing artists such as Mariah Carey, Muse, My Chemical Romance and The 1975 to Asian audiences, also runs Incheon's long-running Pentaport Rock Festival and is building wealive, a content platform combining music media, artist discovery and event promotion with backing from Universal, Warner and Sony Music Korea. He also highlights persistent constraints in Korea's venue infrastructure, including Jamsil Olympic Stadium's renovation and a shortage of mid-sized venues, noting that Live Nation's selection as preferred bidder for the stalled 18,000-capacity Goyang Arena offers hope, though lost touring opportunities have reportedly cost the market hundreds of millions.
In short
- Promoter Tommy Yoon says Asia is becoming a global touring hub, not just a stop
- Governments increasingly back live music as economic and cultural strategy
- Korea's venue shortages still cost the market hundreds of millions in lost shows
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Asia is becoming a primary touring driver as governments treat live music as strategic infrastructure and major festivals position themselves as regional hubs rather than destinations. Substantial backing from major music companies for Asia-based platforms designed to originate tours and content signals confidence that the region will generate rather than simply receive touring trends.
The case against
Whilst Asia's touring market is growing, the region remains primarily a destination rather than a primary driver of global touring given current infrastructure limitations and the fact that most international touring still originates from established markets in North America and Europe. Describing Asia as a primary driver is premature when major development efforts focus on attracting existing touring acts rather than originating the trends and artists that reshape global markets.
Explained simply
Asia has long been an important market for international touring, with artists from Europe and North America regularly visiting the region's major cities to perform for growing audiences. However, the global live music industry is experiencing a fundamental shift in how it sees Asia's role, moving from treating the region primarily as a destination for international tours to recognising it as a potential centre for driving touring activity.
This shift reflects several underlying trends: governments across Southeast Asia are increasingly backing large music festivals and live events as serious cultural and economic investments, whilst music companies are investing in infrastructure and local expertise to help Asian-based promoters and venues become influential actors in the global touring business. Some Asian markets, however, still lack the physical infrastructure needed to capitalise on these opportunities.
Why this matters becomes clear when you consider the implications. If Asia truly becomes a centre for touring rather than simply a destination, it would reshape how the global music industry operates and where investment flows. For audiences and artists across Asia, it could mean more live music events and touring opportunities within the region itself, rather than depending on international tours to visit.
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