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| Lee Sang-hwan |
Lee Sang-hwan, who worked in human resources (HR) in the field of entertainment for over 11 years, is probably one of the best advisers in Korea on employment issues in this industry.
Lee worked at CJ ENM, Netmarble Games, JTBC and Big Hit Entertainment (the agency of K-pop titan BTS) and has been providing tips to those who aspire to work for K-stars.
"I would pick 'patience' as the most important qualification of a successful applicant," Lee said.
The following are excerpts from an interview with Lee.
Q. Why do you underline the significance of "patience?"
A. Nowadays, many people pursue "instant satisfaction." For instance, many wait until a drama wraps up and then begin pushing to watch all the episodes at once. Those who join the entertainment industry are similar. They easily get disappointed when given seemingly minor tasks that are not enjoyable right now. However, it takes time and endeavor to get involved in more professional missions, which could be truly entertaining.
"Self-motivation" is also crucial. Those passive people who long for mentors or guidelines do not fit in this industry. Entertainment firms look for someone who could establish new rules and systems by themselves. It would be even better if applicants have spontaneity and affection toward the industry.
Q. Should all applicants have artistic talents?
A. Not really, unless they are applying for producing positions. Those who want to create content should be somewhat talented because they are directly interacting with artists who usually have distinctive characters. So, in order to communicate with them successfully, producers need to be different as well.
Q. Do agencies prefer fans as workers? There are unconfirmed rumors that agencies filter out fan club members.
A. It depends. Some agencies revealed that they prefer fans who are fond of their artists and content. Many other agencies, however, are reluctant to employ them since they have less objective perspectives toward artists. But I think agencies do not actually check out whether the applicants belong to fan clubs or not.
Q. Are there foreign workers in agencies?
A. There are some foreigners, especially in foreign branches, since agencies need people who understand different cultures and speak other languages. They search for talent that can even catch the subtle nuance in words. But open employment for foreigners has been rarely seen ― foreigners are usually hired after working as a part-timer for singers' concerts abroad.
Q. How much is the annual salary of a new worker in this field? It is reportedly about 25 million won ($22,000).
A. The annual salary of a new employee is not very high compared to that of other industries, such as finance and manufacturing ― it is around 30 million won ($27,000). However, the increase rate of salary is pretty high if a new worker gains more experience and expertise in this field. This is contrary to the cases of other industries, which salary hikes slow down at some point.
Q. Is it true that workers are exposed to stressful work schedules?
A. I think it is only partly true. Work in the entertainment world is particularly hectic when singers drop new albums or kick off fresh projects. During that period, they may stay overnight and work over weekends to finish the job.
However, this is similar with most other industries. Civil servants, for example, have to get involved in extra work if the region gets devastated by natural disasters. Hence, I believe work intensity is high for any industry.
Q. Will agencies hire many people for the upcoming second half?
A. Yes, the following second half is a golden time for applicants, since firms will increase the number of new recruits for three reasons. First, a growing number of agencies, including SM, YG, JYP, FNC and Big Hit Entertainment, are making operating profits recently. Second, the "52 working hours a week" law, which caps the working hours of employees, will start in January. Third, there are not enough workers in this industry now due to the turnover of experienced ones. So they are now aware of the need to foster rookies.
Q. Do you have any additional advice to give?
A. If you want to get a job in the entertainment field, you have to garner information by yourself and update it every day. You should not only focus on open employment, but instead check out on-demand employment as well, since this could significantly increase the chances of being employed.
On top of that, too many people have fantasies about the entertainment world. A myriad of new employees quit the job within one or two years after discovering the gap between reality and imagination. Please do not expect work to be fun and exciting all the time ― it is a job that you are paid for, not a hobby.
