We recently sat down with two of our super creative Music Content Krew members: Ellie, who leads Melon Spotlight, and Angee, who handles music content production. 

Both project managers create content that is used in online and offline promotions for new music. If you are a Melon user or happen to walk by the huge LED screen at Samseong station in Seoul, chances are you’ve seen their work. Here’s a rundown of our conversation. 

Q. Let’s start with what you both do.

Ellie: Sure, I’m Ellie and I’m in charge of planning content for the Melon app. I’m mainly responsible for Melon’s Spotlight program. 

Angee: And I’m Angee. I’m the music content project manager. I also work on Spotlight promotions for various albums.

Q. Give us a bit more detail, and maybe can you say a few words about Spotlight for anyone who might not be familiar?

Ellie: Sure. This might sound funny, but I think of Spotlight as my baby! I don’t think I can talk about my work without saying that first. I’ve been part of every single step of its development, from working with engineers in the preliminary stages to collaborating with various departments ahead of the launch. It really has been a big part of my life. 

Melon’s Spotlight is all about promoting new albums, both online and offline. Since our launch in March last year, we’ve produced content to help promote major new albums for artists like  NCT DREAM, IVE, BTS, ITZY, NewJeans, and more.

Angee: It’s been a lot of fun so far. Not only do we help fans find the latest music more easily, but we’re also working to create fun and trendy content that’s exclusive to Melon. 

Q. I imagine it’s a lot of work, right?

Angee: You can say that again. We share duties because there are so many different angles to tackle. For example, we work with various labels, coordinate with our internal marketing and planning teams, and of course, we also put in our two cents on design. 

Ellie: Angee and I are like a bridge in all those processes, bringing together the different teams and working behind the scenes to create content for numerous new album releases. 

Q. Tell us a little about the team itself. 

Angee: We’re part of the Melon Music Content Planning and Operation Team. It brings together all the PMs who are responsible for communicating with stakeholders and supervising content planning and curation – utilizing our user needs as a guiding light. We each oversee different services. Melon Spotlight is just one. We also have Track Zero, which introduces hidden indie gems, and Melon Station, Melon’s original audio content service. Our goal is to make sure Melon users have lots of fun and exciting experiences with new content.

Q. What’s the best part about being a Krew member on your team?

Ellie: One thing I can say is that it’s a lot of work, but I mean that in a good way. It brings us all together, and there is a lot of mutual respect and even admiration. I love that aspect about our team. 

Angee: Totally agree, and because the work scope for project managers is so broad, there’s a lot of room for personal growth. Regardless of how much experience you have or how old you are, you’re going to learn something and get a lot of hands-on experience with just about every aspect of service marketing you can imagine. 

Q. Ultimately, what makes the job fulfilling for you?

Angee: For me, it’s the small things. Like when I see a user comment about a new launch that recognizes our hard work. That gets me. When we worked on Spotlight content about BTS’s PROOF last year, it took forever to get it off the ground. But as soon as the content we made reached our users and the global audience, it was so worth it. 

Q. What are some must-have qualities or skills as a PM? 

Angee: Above all, you must love music! As well as making content to help promote it. On top of that, if you’ve been part of an active fanbase for a musician, that’s going to give you a lot of insight into what fans are really looking for and bring a lot of value to our team. 

Ellie: That’s so true. We also have fun working closely with other people in the industry. Collaboration is everything. So, to add to what Angee said, good communication skills are key. As PMs, we liaise with everyone from musicians’ managers to music critics, third-party affiliates, internal engineers, designers, and marketers. It’s a long list, and you need to be able to communicate effectively to thrive. 

Q.  Any final comments to share with aspiring Krew members?

Ellie: Can I just say there are endless perks to the job? It’s fun and exciting to promote music and there’s a good chance you’ll get to promote music from your favorite artist – which is a dream come true for most fans. 

Angee: I love being part of Melon. It’s already a great brand, but it’s got so much room to grow, and I feel the same for myself personally. There is just so much room to gain experience and make my own mark. I really appreciate that.