Jay-Z Investment Firm Looks to Put $500 Million Into Korean Culture Fund
MarcyPen Capital is forming a partnership with Hanwha Group in a move driven by K-pop popularity.
Jay-Z looks on prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 22, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images.
Jay-Z and his investment firm, MarcyPen Capital Partners, are investing in Korean culture through a targeted $500 million partnership. The Financial Times reports that MarcyPen and Hanwha Group announced the collaboration during Abu Dhabi Finance Week. The partnership is driven by K-pop, and will be overseen by MarcyPen Asia, based in Seoul, and Hanwha Asset Management, Hanwha Group’s financial division.
“South Korea is a cultural nexus of Asia, influencing global trends in beauty, content, food, entertainment, and lifestyle, making it the ideal gateway for our partnership with Hanwha,” Robbie Robinson, managing partner and chief executive of MarcyPen, said in a statement.
Korean culture has found ongoing global popularity. According to DFSB Kollective president Bernie Cho, it has generated more than $31 billion worldwide. DFSB is a Korean creative agency. “[It] is now the second-largest consumer goods export out of South Korea,” after cars, Cho said.
The two companies are expected to begin fundraising for the venture in late 2026, with funding expected from a broad swath of international investors.
“There is an opportunity for the global expansion of Korean companies,” said Jong-Ho James Kim, chief executive of Hanwha Asset Management. “Usually, Korean companies use their own capital or corporate funds, but if there is third-party assistance, then our growth potential will be greater.”
The Korea Herald reported that MarcyPen Capital Partners, which is based in the United States, manages about $1 billion while also focusing on strategic capital for early-stage consumer and innovative businesses that “create, move, and lead culture.”
