Seventeen's producer Bumzu is highest-earning K-pop songwriter of 2023: Komca

Producer Bumzu [KOMCA]

Bumzu, producer of boy band Seventeen, was the highest-earning songwriter for K-pop in 2023, the Korea Music Copyright Association (Komca) said Monday.

Bumzu was awarded the Grand Prize at the 10th Komca Award held the same day.

The annual Komca Award, which takes place every February, honors the composer and lyricist who each earned the most copyright income from their work in the previous year, as well as other achievements such as the best rearrangement and most-streamed song.

The Grand Prize is given to the creator who grossed the highest income with their copyrighted music in the previous year. The prize was given to BTS music producer Pdogg for five straight years from 2019.

"Bumzu produced most of the songs for singers at his agency Pledis Entertainment, including Seventeen and NU'EST, and played a major role in bringing the K-pop genre to the global mainstream market."

Songwriter Cho Young-soo was awarded for the best rearrangement for the fourth running year and the sixth year in total.

Children's songwriter Lee Sang-hee was awarded in the Dongyo, or children's song, section, for the fourth straight year.

Songwriter and pianist Yiruma was given a prize in the classical music section for the third year and Han Tae-soo won the guggak (traditional Korean music) category.

The award for most-streamed song of 2023 went to trot singer Lim Young-woong's "Our Blues, Our Life" (2023).

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]