As a pioneer in fan communication, Dear U has officially begun collaborating with J Balvin and Peso Pluma to expand its messaging platform Bubble to the Western market.
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advertising billboard can exclusively reveal that starting September 30, the Latin music giant will be “the first of many artists outside of Asia” to engage with fans via Dear U’s newly launched US version of the platform. The duo joins numerous K-pop artists using the Bubble platform (also known as “the bubble”) to share private messages, voice notes, video content and behind-the-scenes moments with subscribers, including the likes of Stray Kids, (G)I-DLE, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo and Lisa, as well as a number of Korean actors, athletes, and content creators.
Since launching the artist-fan messaging service in 2020 during social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dear U’s various Bubble apps have become top marketing and social tools for the K-pop and Asian entertainment industries, currently connecting more than 600 artists communicate directly with their most loyal fans. With the company reporting that more than 73% of its 2 million paid users live outside of South Korea, the launch of these two chart-topping products marks a significant shift in its product’s successful expansion into Western markets.
“While the entertainment market continues to grow, services that tap into fan bases have not received enough attention,” An ZhongwuDear U CEO told advertising billboard. “In South Korea, where fan culture is well established, Dear U has built a business model that capitalizes on this culture. Our goal is to introduce a new perspective to the global entertainment landscape and bring new excitement to fans around the world.
Although platforms such as Weverse, owned by HYBE, launched paid messaging services such as Weverse DM in 2023, Bubble was the first to go public in 2020, launching the service for a series of artists under SM Entertainment. Dear U’s main shareholders are SM Entertainment (home to groups and Bubble users like NCT, aespa, and Lucas) and JYP Entertainment (JY Park, TWICE, and ITZY), which also own some international artists such as SM’s Chinese boy band WayV and JYP’s Japanese girl group NiziU participates in this platform.
With a combined 13 No. 1 hits on the Hot Latin Songs chart, 50 Billboard Hot 100 hits, and a high level of fan engagement on their social media accounts, J Balvin and Peso Pluma are considered The ideal partner and bubble for the next stage of Dear U.
“It has always been important to me to stay in touch with my fans, La Familia,” said the current advertising billboard cover star J Balvin said in a statement. “I love reading comments and conversations, so it’s exciting to connect with fans no matter what their native language is. That’s why Bubble is the perfect platform to stay connected.
“Peso Pluma would not exist without our loyal fans who have supported us from the beginning,” the 25-year-old Mexican rapper added. “Even though we don’t speak the same language, our music is crossing borders and I’m always excited to find new ways to connect with them, like through my collaboration with Bubble.”
Bubble teases that its service will “continue to expand into different genres in Western markets, with major superstars,” and the international, US-based app can be downloaded here , as well as the Android version here . Fans can subscribe to the artist’s Bubble platform for $4.99 per artist per month. Read on for more insights from Dear U CEO Chong-oh An on Bubble’s big moment.
Billboard: Congratulations on the latest news about Dear U’s expansion and new products.
An Zhongwu: This moment marks Dear U’s global expansion into Western markets. While the entertainment market continues to grow, services that tap into fan bases have not received enough attention. In South Korea, where fan culture is well established, Dear U has built a business model that capitalizes on this culture. Our goal is to introduce a new perspective to the global entertainment landscape and bring new excitement to fans around the world.
Why are J Balvin and Peso Pluma the right partners to launch expansion?
Both artists were extremely popular, well-liked and influential. But they also bring unique cultural significance and powerful fan engagement. J Balvin and Peso Pluma frequently interact with fans on social media to create a sense of community and loyalty, which perfectly aligns with Dear U’s mission to strengthen artist-fan communication.
J Balvin and Peso Pluma are well known in the Latin market and community. After focusing primarily on Asian and K-pop talent, was there any specific reason why you wanted to work with Latin artists?
Our goal is to help artists connect with loyal fans around the world, regardless of genre or market. Latin music has truly gone global over the past few years and we are providing a platform to connect with this passionate fan base. J Balvin’s contribution to the global reggaeton movement and Peso Pluma’s fresh influence on regional Mexican music will help the platform cater not only to a large number of fans, but also to a wide range of musical tastes, languages and cultural backgrounds. They will help us break down barriers to connecting with our fans.
Dear U’s story is interesting because it launched Bubble in 2020, when digital conversations were all the rage, but the company continues to expand today. What has the epidemic taught you?
The pandemic has required us to create innovative ways to connect artists and fans, which we continue to use today. Since artists have fans all over the world and can’t always be there to interact with them in person, we’re proud to help bridge that gap and create connections.
In your opinion, what are some very special or highly engaging moments that artists can have on Bubble compared to traditional social media platforms?
Artists treat their bubble subscribers as true super fans. Through bubbles, they can share intimate moments—from behind-the-scenes photos, selfies and audio messages to polls about dinner or outfit choices. even in [professional] During breaks, artists can maintain this intimacy by sharing personal snapshots, such as photos from a family trip. Unlike public social media, this exclusive content fosters a more personal and intimate connection, allowing fans to feel included in the lives of their favorite artists.
