POP/STARS at RIOT
Title: Marketing Manager
Location: Burbank, California
Focus Areas: Product Marketing
When a Virtual Band Broke the Real World
Some projects feel like campaigns. Others feel like cultural shifts. In 2018, Riot Games dropped POP/STARS — the debut single from K/DA, a virtual K-Pop group made up of League of Legends champions. What happened next went far beyond expectations: a song from a video game topped global charts, fans treated digital characters like real pop idols, and the line between gaming and mainstream music blurred overnight.
At the time, I was working as Marketing Manager at Riot Games, right in the middle of this whirlwind. My role was to help position POP/STARS not as “game content,” but as a legitimate pop phenomenon — a risky bet that ended up rewriting the playbook for how gaming IP could live outside the game.
Building the Illusion
The challenge was unprecedented: how do you convince the world that four fictional champions could stand shoulder to shoulder with real artists? The answer was a careful blend of music production, world-class animation, and a communication strategy designed to make K/DA feel as tangible as any girl group on the charts.
From teaser campaigns that hinted at something bigger, to meticulously timed releases across regions, everything was engineered to build hype and deliver a launch that felt authentic. The moment the music video dropped, the illusion was complete. K/DA wasn’t just “a skin line” anymore — they were stars.
The Breakout Moment
Within hours, POP/STARS was climbing iTunes charts around the world. The video hit millions of views in its first days and sparked a wave of fan activity — cosplays, dance covers, remixes, and endless conversations across social platforms. For weeks, you couldn’t scroll through gaming or music feeds without seeing K/DA somewhere.
The breakout wasn’t limited to the League community. Major music outlets covered the release, K/DA was featured at live esports events like the World Championship opening ceremony, and suddenly the gaming world had a pop group that felt “real enough” to exist outside the game.
My Role in the Launch
Creative Production Leadership
I acted as one of the lead producers behind POP/STARS, working across creative, technical, and business lines to bring K/DA from concept to reality. This meant not only overseeing production workflows but also negotiating with external partners like Fortiche, whose animation expertise became central to the final execution.
I wasn’t just managing tasks — I was steering the project’s creative and strategic heartbeat, ensuring the music, visuals, and storytelling aligned into one cohesive launch moment.
Partner & Vendor Negotiations
One of my key contributions was successfully negotiating with Fortiche to secure their involvement in producing the POP/STARS video. This partnership was critical: their animation elevated K/DA from “game characters with a song” into pop idols that could convincingly live on YouTube, on stage, and in fan culture.
Managing this process meant balancing Riot’s creative vision with Fortiche’s production pipeline, contracts, and timelines — ultimately laying the groundwork for one of the most-viewed game-related music videos of all time.
Launch Strategy & Global Impact
Beyond production, I helped design and execute the global launch strategy. POP/STARS wasn’t just dropped into the void — it was a carefully staged cultural event. From teaser communications to synchronized release timings across regions, every step was engineered to maximize hype and impact.
The result: chart-topping success, tens of millions of views, and a breakout that proved virtual music acts could compete with real-world stars.
Founding Riot Games Music
The success of POP/STARS didn’t just end with a single release — it became the catalyst for something bigger. In the aftermath of the launch, I played a leading role in formalizing and founding Riot Games Music under my leadership.
What started as one ambitious project grew into a dedicated division, responsible for producing original music, driving global collaborations, and turning music into a core part of Riot’s brand identity. POP/STARS was the spark, but Riot Games Music became the fire that carried the vision forward.
What It Taught Me
Working on POP/STARS was more than just delivering a successful launch — it reshaped how I think about creative production and entertainment strategy.
Creative risks define legacy. Betting on a virtual K-Pop group could have failed — but taking that risk created one of Riot’s most iconic cultural breakouts.
Partnerships amplify vision. Collaborating with Fortiche showed me how the right external partner can transform a great idea into something unforgettable.
Music builds worlds. POP/STARS wasn’t just a song; it became the foundation for Riot Games Music — proving that music can deepen IP and extend a brand into new cultural spaces.
Leadership means connecting dots. From production to negotiations to launch, success depended on turning fragmented pieces into a unified, global story.
POP/STARS didn’t just teach me how to run a campaign — it taught me how to build a cultural moment that lasts.
