Which Korean stars have their own entertainment agencies? Crash Landing on Yous Hyun Bin, Vagabon
Get to know some of the Korean celebrities who started their own entertainment agencies, and which artists call those agencies home.
Daniel Kang
After a gruelling legal dispute with his past entertainment agency, former Wanna One member Daniel Kang got several legal experts to help him set up his own agency. The youngest CEO in the Korean entertainment industry built Konnect Entertainment in 2019, fusing the words “Korea” and “connect” with the goal of connecting Korea to the world through him.
The idol went on to debut as a soloist with his EP Color on Me under his own company, as well as release his “colour trilogy” series: Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. In 2020, he opened Cafe de Konnect on the first floor of the company’s building in Gangnam, and collaborated with Kakao Friends to release a limited-edition dessert and drink menu for two other cafes.
In 2021, Konnect Entertainment launched a mobile app for Kang’s official fan cafe, making him the first idol in Korea to ever release their own app. With the company’s success, Kang and his staff make sure to give back to the community by taking part in donation drives and charity campaigns.
Bae Yong-joon
Actor Bae Yong-joon has always been business minded, even in the early years of his career. The Winter Sonata star established several restaurants and cafes that capitalised on the well-being trend in the country, and launched his Gosire lunchboxes (similar to bento boxes, but with Korean food) in Japanese convenience stores.
As one of the hallyu wave pioneers, he founded KeyEast Entertainment, which looked after popular actors such as Yoo Hae-jin, Moon Ga-young, Woo Do-hwan, Jo Bo-ah, Hwang In-yeop and Kang Han-na. In 2018, AllKpop reported that Bae had sold KeyEast to SM Entertainment.
Rain
At the height of his career in 2007, Rain left JYP Entertainment to build his own company, J. Tune Entertainment. Because he kept his ties with JYP’s co-CEO Park Jin-young, the company was named a subsidiary of JYP. However, it fully merged with JYP in 2010 after Rain sold his shares to Park.
In 2015, after many years’ experience both performing onstage and dealing with the industry backstage, he founded R.A.I.N Company. He clearly has an eye for business, as what Rain started as a one-man agency has grown into a full blown company, which is now home to his first-ever seven-piece boy group, Ciipher, and the actress Oh Yeju.Hyun Bin
Crash Landing on You star Hyun Bin (one half of the famous RiRi couple) decided to go independent along with actress friend Shin Min-ah after their former agency merged with SM Entertainment. They debuted O& Entertainment, which handled most of Hyun Bin’s endorsement deals and acting gigs after he was discharged from the military.When his contract with O& expired, he set up Vast Entertainment in 2016 with his mentor CEO Kang Kun-taek, who handles most the agency work as well as scouting for potential trainees. in 2019, Vast became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kakao M. The company is home to actresses such as My Way’s Lee Yeon-hee and Memorist’s Kin Ji-in.
Jay Park
Aside from being a born entertainer, Jay Park is also a born businessman. The former 2PM member established his first company, Korean hip-hop and R&B label Above Ordinary Music Group (AOMG) in 2013. The company held a hip-hop audition show Signhere in 2019, becoming the first ever hip-hop and R&B record label to have their own audition programme, which aired on broadcast network MBN. AOMG houses GOT7’s Jay B and Yugyeom, and female soloist Lee Hi.In 2017, Park founded H1ghr Music with songwriter-composer Cha Cha Malone with the goal of bringing Seattle and South Korean talent to the hip-hop forefront of the industry. Currently, the label has a roster of artists from both countries including GroovyRoom, Ph-1, Golden, Sik-K and Woogie.
Psy
The Gangnam Style and Gentleman singer Psy’s company had one of the most talked about launches, as he officially left YG Entertainment in 2018 after being with them for eight years. He launched his own label P Nation in 2019, signing Korean-American rapper Jessi as its first artist.The label has also signed Hyuna, Dawn, Heize and Crush. Hyuna explained that she chose to sign an exclusive contract with P Nation because she felt that it was the company who would understand her best.Lee Seung-gi
It’s a busy time for Lee Seung-gi, not only because his relationship with actress Lee Da-in was recently revealed, but also with the coming launch of his one-man agency. Lee’s agency Hook Entertainment, with whom he has been for 17 years, announced its exclusive contract with him will end on May 31. The statement said Lee decided to establish a new agency and promote himself independently, and on the same day, Korean media outlet Sports Chosun said he would be setting up the agency with his father. There has been no confirmation from Lee himself to date.
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