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| Former Treasure member Bang Ye-dam / Courtesy of GF Entertainment |
By Hong Hye-min
K-pop singer Bang Ye-dam has signed on with a new agency as he looks to jump-start his solo career.
GF Entertainment released a statement on Thursday that read, "We recently signed an exclusive contract with Bang Ye-dam and we are delighted to have such a talented artist onboard. We will provide our full support to Bang Ye-dam so that he can become a multi-talented artist who can not only sing but produce music as well."
Bang Ye-dam rose to fame in 2013 when he finished runner-up on SBS's "K-Pop Star: Season 2," earning the nickname "Little Michael Jackson" for his charming voice and breathtaking performance on stage. He went on to become a trainee at YG Entertainment and joined the boy band Treasure.
However, Bang cut ties with YG Entertainment last year after terminating his contract and is looking to reinvent himself as a solo artist and a producer through his latest deal with GF Entertainment.
GF Entertainment is home to the idol group Kingdom, and the agency's CEO Nam Gung-chan is a veteran producer who has worked with and managed a number of high-profile musicians including Kim Hyun-chul and IU.
Details on Bang Ye-dam's first music project with his new agency GF Entertainment are expected to be announced in the near future.
Hong Hye-min (hhm@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.
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