[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] As girl group Lisenne’s “LOVE ATTACK” sweeps the top spots on major music charts, the influence of their self-produced content—which served as the driving force behind the song’s chart resurgence—is once again drawing attention. There is a growing consensus that self-produced content, once viewed as supplementary material for die-hard fans, has emerged as a key promotional tool that drives both increased public recognition and chart-topping hits.

"Jacon" refers to content presented by idol artists’ agencies through their own channels. Through various formats—such as variety shows, reality shows, and vlogs—it captures the artists’ natural off-stage personalities, teamwork, and comedic talents, broadening their connection with fans and playing a key role in attracting new fans and maintaining the fanbase.
Agencies of all sizes—from small to large—have consistently invested effort into producing such content. Even after rising to become a top global group, BTS continued producing “Run BTS!,” while SEVENTEEN established “Going SEVENTEEN” as the group’s signature content. Recently, CRAVITY’s “CRAVITY Park” marked its 100th episode, drawing attention as a prime example of a long-running fan-made content series.
Lisenne gained popularity through a self-produced variety show featured on member Won-i’s personal YouTube channel, “Hello, I’m Won-i, Nice to Meet You” (Anwonjalbu), proving that even idols from small-to-medium-sized agencies can attract public attention through word of mouth by showcasing high-quality content. Produced by Solpa Studio—which has amassed over 3 million subscribers on its YouTube channel ODG—Lisenne’s self-produced content has received critical acclaim for combining entertainment value with visual appeal.
Within the industry, Lisenne’s success has sparked a renewed focus on the importance of self-produced content. According to Kakao Entertainment’s music platform Melon, as of the 4th of last month, the number of users searching for “Lisenne” on Melon had increased by 6,550% compared to March 20—the date the YouTube self-produced content video, featuring the “Geoje Ya-ho” scene that went viral as a meme online, was uploaded.

According to industry sources on the 13th, the per-episode production cost for self-produced content created in collaboration with external production companies varies significantly depending on the nature of the content. While content featuring everyday life or behind-the-scenes footage costs around 4 to 5 million won per episode, it is not uncommon for variety-style content to require 10 to 20 million won per episode. Some agencies also sign contracts with production companies to share view counts and advertising revenue, thereby reducing the initial production cost burden.
Mr. A, an official at an idol agency, said, “While major agencies have relatively large in-house production staff, most small and medium-sized agencies operate video teams of just 3 to 5 people responsible for filming and editing. As a result, they often collaborate with external production companies for the planning and direction of variety-style content.”
From the perspective of small and medium-sized agencies, production costs of several million won per episode are no small burden. However, compared to the roughly 100 million won invested in a single episode of a reality show aired on a broadcast channel, fan-made content is considered cost-effective. Another key advantage is that it doesn’t end with the release of the main episode; it is repurposed into various forms of secondary content—such as short-form clips and fan-edited videos—generating sustained exposure.
Industry observers predict that fan-made content will evolve into a format that appeals not only to fanbases but also to the general public. However, some take a cautious view, noting that success is not guaranteed simply by increasing the budget for such content. This is because there have been numerous cases in the past where agencies failed to generate the expected buzz despite hiring famous variety show producers or investing heavily in outsourced production.
Mr. B, CEO of a music promotion agency, stated, “Following the success of ‘Lisenne,’ there is a growing trend toward creating curated content that goes beyond simply capturing the members’ daily lives and is enjoyable for the general public as well,” adding, “There are also ongoing efforts to re-edit previously released content into short-form formats to reignite public interest.”