SM, YG, JYP, and Big Hit Entertainment are large entertainment agencies that lead the Korean pop culture world and infuse the Korean Wave around the world. These four places are often referred to as the “Big Four” in the entertainment industry. Big Hit Entertainment has been smaller than FNC Entertainment, which includes “FT Island” and “AOA,” but has now become the most lucrative entertainment agency as “BTS” has become a global hit.For about 10 years, it has been leading the popularity of Korean culture in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and now North America, Central and South America, and Europe.There are Wonder Girls, TWICE (JYP) and BTS (BIG HIT),Big Bang, BLACKPINK (YG), and Super Junior, EXO (SM)

The main business structure of entertainment agencies is to manage singers and actors, produce and distribute new content, hold concerts, and make and sell related goods. For this reason, entertainment agencies have no choice but to focus on their entertainers. However, many ordinary people dream of joining entertainment agencies while dreaming of “coincidence.”As of the third quarter of last year, SM, JYP, and Big Hit saw significant improvements in sales and operating profit. SM Entertainment’s sales in the third quarter of last year were 403.7 billion won (consolidated) and operating profit was 30 million dollars. Operating profit increased 4.5 times from the same period last year. JYP also did well last year. As of the third quarter of last year, sales were $80 million and operating profit was $18 million. Operating profit increased 59% from the same period last year.

Big Hit Entertainment’s sales are expected to reach $20 million last year as BTS became a global hit. On the other hand, YG was directly hit by sales as its main artists, Big Bang members, joined the army. Sales in the third quarter of last year fell 20% year-on-year to only $20 million. Operating profit also fell by a third. The operating profit of the four major entertainment agencies is expected to improve significantly this year and next year. Stock industry sources estimate the operating profit of the four major entertainment agencies this year in the same order as last year’s Big Hit >SM >JYP >YG. Big Hit succeeded in extending its seven-year contract with BTS last year, and its performance is expected to improve further as it will introduce a new boy group this year. Eugene Investment & Securities estimated Big Hit Entertainment’s sales of $25 million and operating profit of $10 million this year. This is nine times the operating profit of three years ago.

Stock industry sources estimate that SM Entertainment’s sales this year are $70 million and operating profit. The figure is about 100 billion won more in sales and 15 billion won in operating profit than last year. This is because artists such as EXO, SHINee, and Red Velvet still form large fandom, and sales of overseas music and video platforms are increasing significantly. The same goes for JYP. Girl group TWICE has become a popular female group in Japan, and the five-member new girl group is expected to debut in February this year, which is expected to increase profits.

YG, which was hit by the absence of Big Bang last year, is expected to see its sales and operating profit improve as BLACKPINK gained popularityYou can see the number of people and the resignation rate of the four major agencies in detail. SM is the largest of the four major agencies. SM has a total of 431 employees. Considering that the average number of people in the same industry is 37, it is huge. The second largest is YG (360 employees). JYP is the third with 215 employees, and Big Hit is the smallest with 138 employees. YG has the highest resignation rate last year. 138 people (38% of the total) of YG Entertainment resigned within a year. It is analyzed that the sharp ‘drop in sales over the past year has also affected the resignation rate.

SM had the second highest resignation rate. During the year, 126 employees, or 29% of the total, left the company, and 166 employees (39% of the total) newly joined the company. A netizen who said he was an employee of SM said on a credit magazine bulletin board, “You have to work hard enough to put your soul into it to enter the company only by looking at it.” Thirty-eight people, or 18 percent of the total, left JYP for one year, while Big Hit had a 17 percent (24 employees) for one year. A netizen, a JYP employee, wrote on the credit magazine board, “Take a look at yourself first, those who have placed their positions in time to emphasize personality to trainees and artists.”The welfare of the four major entertainment agencies is far better than that of other entertainment agencies. YG will scout four famous hotel chefs to provide various home-cooked meals such as Korean food, Western food, and snacks for free. YG also creates a “pop-up day” every quarter to support cultural life such as bowling and watching movies among employees. It also provides telecommunication and self-development costs and supports housing lease and monthly rent loans.

JYP also cares a lot about welfare. In September last year, JYP’s head Park Jin-young wrote on his social media, “If we have achieved plans to secure an eco-friendly office where no toxins come out, organic food-oriented organic restaurants, and space for employees to rest and eat, we will do our best to improve welfare.”SM supports all employees to receive medical checkups worth 300,000 won at 11 hospitals, and provides long-term employees with vacation fees and resort accommodation rights. On the company’s important anniversary, all employees, including celebrities, go to workshops abroad. Big Hit is also creating a free company atmosphere by implementing an autonomous commuting system and all employees calling each other “nim” without positions. There is a 100% paid maternity leave for up to 180 days, and Culture Day is held every month to enjoy cultural life. We also set up a game zone with a game PC and a playstation in-house

EJ Song

ASIA JOURNAL

Soft-spoken Ahn So-hee seemed to put a great amount of thought into her answers before vocalizing them.

One of her hobbies is simply to “observe people” as she herself isn’t “very outgoing or talkative,” Ahn said at an interview Wednesday at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.

“People say that observing others, (and) seeing and feeling lots of things will help me even more in my future acting,” said the budding actress, who stars in the recent film “A Single Rider” alongside Lee Byung-hun and Gong Hyo-jin, who described Ahn as “surprisingly adult” in interviews.

The singer-turned-actress is most familiar to K-pop fans as the rosy-cheeked youngest member of the disbanded group Wonder Girls. She skyrocketed to idol status in 2007 with the group’s first addictive smash-hit song “Tell Me,” but even during her K-pop activities, Ahn showed an interest in acting.

In 2008, she made her film debut with a role as a high school student intent on getting her boyfriend to kiss her in the sexy comedy “Hellcats.” Four years ago, Ahn announced her departure from Wonder Girls to pursue a full-time acting career.

Actress Ahn So-hee poses for a photo before an interview Wednesday at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. (The Korea Herald/Park Hyun-koo)

Her ability to listen has translated into a capacity for empathy, she said. “When I read a script, I think, ‘Yes, that’s how some people might feel.’ I think it’s helped me understand and accept others.”

Ahn remarked that “A Single Rider” zooms in on what may seem like the characters’ unconventional emotional reactions to life’s events. The lead, played by actor Lee, is a forlorn stockbroker who has lost his wealth and become disconnected from his family. But rather than rage and yell, the character watches from afar, silently tortured.

“I could relate to that. I think I would be hesitant in the same situation,” said Ahn. “Some people need time to process events and gather their thoughts.”

Ahn is steadily compiling a filmography starting with roles she feels she can handle. Last year, she portrayed a harangued college baseball team manager in the internationally acclaimed zombie thriller “Train to Busan.”

Actress Ahn So-hee poses for a photo before an interview Wednesday at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. (The Korea Herald/Park Hyun-koo)

In “A Single Rider,” Ahn plays the young backpacker Ji-na who wanders around Australia alone on a working holiday.

The role strongly reminded her of her stint in the US in 2009, when she toured the country with fellow Wonder Girls members to promote the retro pop track “Nobody,” which eventually became the first Korean song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“I could relate to that struggle of trying so hard to do well. More than anything, I could relate to the loneliness of being alone in a foreign continent,” she said.

In an effort to communicate directly with her audience, Ahn recently started a social media account.

“I want to talk about my projects and the types of music and films I like,” she said. Ever careful, however, the actress is not yet ready to share the intimate details of her everyday life.

“For now, I’d like to share my tastes rather than my daily activities.”

“A Single Rider” opened in theaters in Korea on Wednesday.

Lim is well acknowledged worldwide for his unquestionable talent as a popera singer as he was revered as the first ever Korean for several accomplishments such as winning a UN peace medal, performed in all three honorable stages at New York’s Carnegie Hall, and have a record deal with the top 4 worldwide record labels (Universal Music, Sony Music, EMI, Warner Music). He sung original soundtracks for popular Korean dramas such as “Delightful Girl Choon Hyang”, “The King and I”, “Dongyi”, and “Gyebaek”. Lim also re-released his version of a Japanese song, “Sen no Kaze ni Natte”, into “A Thousand Words” in Korean as a requiem of the recent tragedy of the Ferry Disaster in S. Korea.

Being the forefront as S. Korea’s popera singer, Lim had performed in numerous places worldwide and recently held a successful solo concert in Los Angeles on Sept. 27 at the historic LA Orpheum Theatre. With a standing ovation and an encore, Lim happily ended with 4 encore songs and claimed it was a fantastic way to not only celebrate his solo concert in LA, but to honor his 16th anniversary of his debut. See the interview we did with Lim Hyung-joo before his concert with K-pop bloggers, Nutty Nomads, conducting the interview:

Interview:

Nutty Nomads: How would you describe the “popera” genre?
Lim Hyung Joo: Some people call it operatic pop where pop and opera is a mixed, new genre. In 1985, South Korean soprano singer, Kimera, made headlines in the UK newspaper Daily Express as she was the forefront singer of popera. Many opera and musicians were introduced and discovered popera after that such as Sarah Brightman, Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo, and Josh Groban. I discovered popera at a young age and first debuted at 12 years old.

NN: What top three songs do you like to sing?
LHJ: My third favorite is the song “Memory”, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber from the musical, “Cats”. My second favorite song is “The Rose” by Bette Midler. My number one favorite is the song I sang for the Korean drama “Delightful Girl Choon Hyang” and it’s called “I Hope You Will Be Happy”.

NN: We heard that you studied at Julliard School in New York City. What was that experience like for you?
LHJ: I attended the school of Julliard for prep school and Julliard is really a world renowned, wonderful school with great musicians and artists who attended there. It was a very good experience for me and gave me great inspiration.

NN: When studying in NYC, did you get to see any Broadway shows? If so, what was your favorite?
LHJ: Yes! Many, many times. I’d have to say “The Phantom of the Opera” is my favorite.

NN: Do you have any specific habits or rituals before performing on stage like saying a prayer or eat something?
LHJ: I only eat a banana before I perform. When I sing, I have to be careful and control my abdominal breathing so I can’t eat or drink too much before I go on stage. After the performance, I can eat anything I want! (laughs)

NN: Do you have a favorite K-pop artist?
LHJ: I like the Wonder Girls, EXO, and SISTAR.

NN: If you could collaborate with any K-pop artist, who would it be?
LHJ: I want to collaborate with IU. I love her voice and she has a very natural voice. I wish I can do more collaborations with K-pop idols.

Yuna Hwang
K-Herald