Sony, Kakao Entertainment Partner on 360 Reality Audio

SEOUL, South Korea / TOKYO, Japan - Sony Corporation and Kakao Entertainment said on Wednesday they signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on projects using Sony’s 360 Reality Audio technology.

The companies said their first project will feature a performance at the 17th Melon Music Awards on Dec. 20 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul.

The performance will be streamed online using the audio technology, according to a joint statement.

360 Reality Audio is an audio system that uses object-based spatial sound technology.

The system positions individual sound elements, including vocals, instruments, and effects, within a spherical sound field using location data, Sony said.

Kakao Entertainment operates Melon, a music streaming service in South Korea, and Berriz, which the company describes as a platform for Korean cultural content.

The company also operates music production and distribution operations.

The performance will be streamed on various platforms, the companies said, though they did not identify which artist will perform using the technology.

The companies plan to explore additional collaborative projects following the awards show, according to the statement.

The Melon Music Awards presents annual recognition to recording artists based on data from the Melon platform, user voting, and evaluations, according to Kakao Entertainment.