Jornal Do Brasilia - From NCT Fangirl to K-Pop Strategist: Liesbeth De Kesel Builds Movea’s Digital Presence

Liesbeth De Kesel, a 22-year-old Belgian digital content strategist, has transitioned from creating fan content for the K-pop group NCT to leading the online presence of Movea, a pre-debut girl group under PIX Entertainment. By documenting the trainees' progress and engaging global audiences, she has helped the project surpass 100,000 TikTok followers in just three months.

De Kesel’s career path illustrates the growing number of international professionals navigating the Korean entertainment industry. While many foreigners face practical hurdles such as limited guidance and a lack of firsthand experience, De Kesel found her entry through a combination of personal branding and professional opportunity.

"Some people still know me as an NCT fan content creator, and they've told me they're impressed to see how I've grown from that into a K-pop professional," De Kesel said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily. "I'm also glad I found a role that's a perfect fit for me. I’m so happy that I'm helping them build their online presence and connect with their fans, as well as getting to see them grow firsthand."

De Kesel was initially hired by PIX Entertainment as a foreign talent coordinator for models. However, after discussing the company’s training project with the CEO and offering strategic ideas, she shifted roles to become the digital content and creative strategist for Movea.

Her primary responsibility is showcasing the group’s entire training process leading up to their official debut. The strategy involves following evaluations and documenting progress to allow potential fans to get to know the members before they perform on stage.

"At first, I was actually hired as a foreign talent coordinator for foreign models," De Kesel explained. "But then I had the opportunity to sit down with the CEO and he talked to me about the training project and I gave some of my ideas, and very quickly I shifted into being a digital content and creative strategist for the project."

The approach relies on real-time data gathered from social media interactions rather than simply pushing content out and observing results. De Kesel noted that audience feedback helps the team understand consumer interests and preferences more effectively.

"Social media allows us not only to connect with fans but also to gather real-time data on what consumers want," she said. "Rather than simply pushing content out and seeing what works, we can use audience feedback to better understand their interests and preferences."

The production of videos for TikTok and YouTube also serves as training for the trainees themselves. De Kesel observed that the members are learning how to present themselves on camera and interact with potential fans, a skill set that is crucial for their future careers.

"We also believe that the process of creating videos for the group's TikTok and YouTube channels serves as training for the members themselves," she said. "They're learning how to present themselves on camera and interact with potential fans."

De Kesel’s role includes attending monthly evaluations to create content, which she describes as resembling a small concert. She expressed enthusiasm for the dynamic nature of the work, contrasting it with her previous experience at a cosmetics company where she felt constrained by routine tasks.

"The days are so different now that I never really get bored," De Kesel said. "There's always something new happening, and it's always fun. When I worked at a cosmetics company, that was the hard part: I always had to do the same routine work."

Her current position came about unexpectedly after she left her previous job due to health issues and returned to Belgium. While posting on Instagram about her departure, she received a message from PIX Entertainment inviting her for an interview. She reapplied for an E-7 skilled worker visa while in Belgium and returned to Korea to take the role.

"I had to leave my previous company because of some health issues, so I decided to move back to Belgium to recover," De Kesel said. "Then someone from PIX Entertainment reached out to me. They said, ‘Hey, we’re looking for someone to help us with talent. Would you be interested in coming in for an interview?’"

De Kesel emphasized the importance of promoting oneself through various channels and building a personal brand. She also advised aspiring professionals to build connections, noting that these relationships can open doors to opportunities.

"One thing I can say is that finding ways to promote and present yourself through different channels and building your own personal brand are so important in today's world," she said. "Also, whenever you can, try to build connections with people because those connections can open doors to opportunities."

The project De Kesel works on is notably international, with half of the employees involved being non-Korean. Communication within the team is conducted in English, and De Kesel admitted that she does not speak Korean well.

"I can say that half of the employees involved in the project I'm working on are international," she said. "Since we are a pretty international group, we all communicate in English, and to be honest, I don’t speak Korean that well."

She believes that international staff bring open-mindedness and diverse perspectives to the company. Rather than simply following instructions, they tend to question processes and offer different viewpoints, which she argues fosters creativity.

"I think we tend to be more open-minded," De Kesel said. "Rather than simply doing what we're told, we're more likely to question things and offer different perspectives instead of just agreeing. I think this can bring more creativity and fresh ideas to a company."

De Kesel also highlighted that fans often underestimate the extensive work that goes into preparing trainees before their debut. The team analyzes personalities and determines how to highlight individual traits on camera, figuring out what types of work suit each person.

"Right now, we're analyzing our trainees and their personalities, looking at how we can bring out their personalities and help them become even better on camera," she said. "We're also figuring out what kind of work suits each person and what doesn't. We're already developing everything long before they perform on stage."

She noted that ensuring every trainee shines within the group is a key focus, a process that happens extensively behind the scenes.

"So that's what we're really trying to work on: making sure every trainee shines, even within the group," De Kesel said. "I think that's something fans don't really realize is happening so extensively, even before the trainees ever make their debut."

Looking ahead, De Kesel hopes to remain part of Movea after their official debut, though she is uncertain about how her role might change when new trainees join or the group launches.

"For now, while I’m helping them build their presence on social media, I'm always hoping for their success and that everything goes well for them," she said. "As for me, I hope to remain part of Movea even after they debut, but I'm not sure what my role will look like once this group of trainees debuts or when new trainees join the company. Ideally, I'd also love to work on a more international scale with the company."

De Kesel’s journey from a fan creating content for NCT to a professional strategist for Movea underscores the evolving nature of K-pop’s global reach and the opportunities available to internationals in the industry.

L. de Freitas--JDB