Building a K-pop Agency that Engages 150 Million Monthly Interactions

Hello, this is Klab Insight.

For this edition, we’re excited to feature Mustafa Can Ulger, the founder and CEO of MCUPro, Turkey's leading digital agency specializing in K-pop marketing and content creation.

Mustafa's journey into the K-pop industry was driven by his passion for both content creation and his recognition of the growing K-pop fanbase in Turkey. With a background in advertising and digital strategy, he has built a successful agency that bridges the gap between K-pop artists and global audiences through viral marketing campaigns and high-quality content production.

From his early career in sports to becoming a pioneer in K-pop digital marketing, Mustafa's story is one of perseverance, creativity, and innovation. His work with K-pop artists and brands has brought new opportunities to Turkey's K-pop scene, making him a key player in the digital marketing landscape.

In this interview, Mustafa shares valuable insights on how he built his agency, the challenges of working in the K-pop industry, and his advice for those aspiring to break into the field. His journey exemplifies how passion and dedication can turn into a thriving business, inspiring both aspiring entrepreneurs and K-pop fans alike.

This newsletter highlights:

• Building a K-pop Digital Agency from the Ground Up

• Viral Marketing Strategies that Captivate Fans Worldwide

• Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and K-pop Professionals

Q. Can you introduce yourself?

I am Mustafa Can Ulger, the founder of MCUPRO Digital Agency, which provides services to nine countries from Turkey. After working for over ten years in various advertising agencies, I established my own agency last year, bringing together all my knowledge and experience. We offer production and digital marketing services to brands and artists.

Q. Can you share a little about your background before entering the K-pop industry and what led you to pursue a career in digital marketing and content creation?

There were two things I dreamed of as a child: becoming a successful athlete and a major content creator. In 2013, I dedicated my life to sports and won the Turkish championship in the discus athletics branch. However, due to an injury, my sports career came to an end. That’s when I decided to dedicate myself to content creation.

To create content, I first needed to master camera techniques and video editing. I did so much research on these topics that I suddenly found myself serving others in the production field. Later, when I joined an advertising agency, I managed some of Turkey’s largest viral campaigns and collaborated with major brands. However, my passion for content creation never faded.

During this journey, I was also aware that there was a big K-pop fan community in Turkey. That's why I invested in this field and created many social media accounts and produced content for them. As the pages grew, our power increased and as our power increased, new opportunities came our way, and as new opportunities came, we took risks and evaluated them. And today, I can say that we are the biggest agency in Turkey in our field.

Q. Could you please explain the MCUPro business?

MCUPRO is a new media agency that provides production and digital marketing services to 9 countries from Turkey. We have achieved great success by collaborating with many famous and prestigious brands through various projects and viral campaigns. We are also a solution partner that fills the gaps of many agencies.

Q. Can you tell us about your journey into the K-pop industry and how you became the CEO of MCUPro?

I realized that there is a massive K-Pop fan base in Turkey. Seeing the potential in this field, I decided to invest and established multiple social media accounts. Since managing all these accounts alone was not feasible, I collaborated with passionate individuals on a freelance basis to help grow these platforms. As my pages expanded, new collaboration opportunities emerged.  I evaluated these and told them that I could also provide them with services in the production field that I was an expert in. In this way, I grew my own agency by making different collaborations.

Q. How did you overcome cultural differences when collaborating with K-pop artists? Any specific challenges or strategies you used to navigate these differences?

Turkish and Korean cultures are very similar. Both the family structure and the moral structure... That's why we had no difficulty. The biggest problem we have is that while young people in Türkiye are very interested in K-Pop, brand managers can hold back a little bit on this issue because they don't know and are afraid. But by holding meetings, we can now make ourselves accepted and make the audience aware

Q. What challenges did you face when starting your own digital marketing agency, especially focusing on K-pop?

We care about the ads we make for the artists and brands we work with creating an organic effect instead of looking like an ad. When social media users come across our campaigns, they form an emotional connection with them without realizing they are advertisements. That is why we cannot share the advertising work we do by saying “look, we did this” because neither we nor the artists want it to be known that these are ads. The most challenging part for me is not being able to brag about our successful works that reach millions of people and not being able to share them as references.

Q. Can you explain how MCUPro collaborates with K-pop artists and brands to achieve viral marketing success?

We try to create a story before creating a viral advertising campaign. We appeal to people's emotions from the beginning to the end. The most important thing in our industry is insight. If you can capture the right insight, you can drive engagement and create meaningful interactions with your audience.

Q. Could you share some of the most successful viral campaigns you've worked on and the strategies behind them? 

As I mentioned earlier, we are the "black box" of artists and brands. This is why I cannot disclose specific details about my work. However, to give an example, in one of our campaigns, we designed a PR strategy for an artist’s upcoming song release.

The artist acted as if she accidentally opened her unreleased song during the live broadcast she opened, and after announcing some of it to her fans, she panicked and closed the song. We created curiosity and drew attention by sharing this part of the live broadcast on social media and saying “Artist X, accidentally shared her song.” 

By leveraging our extensive network of influencers and social media pages, we amplified the impact, generating buzz and curiosity. This organic and engaging approach allowed us to create a viral moment without making it feel like a traditional advertisement.

Q. Are there any advertising campaigns you have worked on within the K-pop industry that you are able to share? We would love to learn more about your creative process and the results of these campaigns.

I can't give the name of the artist or brand because I have a confidentiality agreement with my clients, but I can share with you the 2 accounts that produce K-Pop content that we created within my agency:

1. Koreli Kek YouTube channel has become the biggest and most loved k-pop channel in Türkiye in a short period of 1 year, with over 120,000 followers on all platforms

2. Sourmagazines Instagram account Türkiye's biggest kpop magazine page has over 20,000,000 monthly interactions.

Q. What has been your most challenging project to date and how did you overcome it?

The most challenging experience I have faced so far was the mandatory one-month military service in Turkey. Before enlisting, I had carefully arranged everything for the artists and brands I was working with. However, just a week before my departure, I secured a major advertising deal, which meant I had to manage an entire project while being away.

During my military service, I was only allowed one hour of phone access per day. This was very challenging for me because we only had 1 hour of permission and during this process I was getting information about all the works, making revisions and trying to solve the problems that arose. 

We got through this process without any problems thanks to my teammates and it was a very challenging experience for me.

Q. What type of content do you think resonates the most with K-pop fans on social media?

Any content that triggers emotions will have an impact not only in K-Pop but all over the world.

Q. Can you discuss how you integrate CGI content into your campaigns and its impact on fan engagement?

If we want to exaggerate something and grab attention, we combine elements in our videos that are the complete opposite of what people expect. Since CGI is a trending topic right now and people enjoy watching such over-the-top visuals, we are seeing high engagement and strong audience reactions.

Q. How do you approach monetizing the content you produce for the K-pop industry?

We just try to produce good content and do our job in the best way possible. It may sound cliché but if you focus on money you can't make money, if you focus on success money will come to you in any way. It may not come today but it will definitely come tomorrow.

Q. In your experience, what are the key skills needed to succeed in K-pop marketing and content creation?

I won’t limit my answer to just K-Pop because I believe there is only one true secret to content creation: If you recognize that the people you engage with are real individuals with emotions, your content will resonate with them on a deeper level. When your content holds meaning for people, it naturally generates the engagement you seek.

Q. As a digital agency focused on K-pop, what differentiates your approach from other marketing agencies?

Our social media power and influencer power in Turkey regarding K-Pop is very high.

Q. What advice would you give to someone looking to start a business in the K-pop industry?

K-Pop fans are incredibly loyal but also highly passionate and, at times, aggressive. Even the smallest mistake can lead to them turning away from you, and if necessary, they can mobilize thousands of people to take down your page. However, if you genuinely understand and care about K-Pop, you won’t make these mistakes in the first place.

In short, never make mistakes in this industry! 😊 

Q. Could you please provide a detailed action plan for someone with no experience to get started?

Just enter any social media platform and create an account. That’s it. The rest will follow naturally. Life doesn’t always move upward—there will be ups and downs. But if you keep pushing forward and stay committed to what you believe in, success will come with time.

Q. Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for MCUPro, and how do you envision the agency growing in the K-pop industry over the next few years?

We have big dreams for this process. We want to give the biggest K-pop concert in Turkey and organize a big K-pop festival.

Q. Lastly, do you have any message for the readers?

Time flies. If you want to do something—whether it’s starting a business, picking up a new hobby, traveling to a new country, or ending a toxic friendship—do it now. Don’t wait. And most importantly, always seize the opportunities that come your way.

Mustafa’s story is a powerful example of how passion, creativity, and a forward-thinking approach can transform challenges into opportunities. His journey underscores the importance of persistence and innovation in building a thriving business, proving that with vision and dedication, you can make a lasting impact in the global K-pop industry.

Key Insights

1. Effective Viral Marketing Strategies for K-pop

   Engagement with fans on an emotional level is at the core of viral marketing. To create truly impactful campaigns, focus on understanding the audience’s emotions and providing content that resonates with their experiences and passion.

2. Monetizing Content in the K-pop Industry

   Success in K-pop content creation doesn’t always come with a direct focus on money. The key is to produce high-quality content and focus on success first—monetization will follow when the right value is delivered to the audience.

3. Building Strong Partnerships with Brands and Artists

   Collaborating with brands and artists requires a unique approach to content creation. Creating an organic connection between the audience and the campaign, without directly pushing sales or advertisements, is crucial for building trust and long-term relationships.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this interview! Feel free to leave your comments below or email us at [email protected]. Your insights and questions are always welcome as we continue to explore the vibrant world of K-pop.

And feel free to connect with me on X, LinkedIn, & Thread.