K-pop’s oligarchy and#8212; is it good or bad for industry?
Singers-turned-impresarios dominate music scene, leaving little room for newcomers
By Kwaak Je-yup
The nation’s big-three music agencies and their respective founders have been credited for K-pop’s current dynamism.
Lee Soo-man, Yang Hyun-suk and Park Jin-young stand in a league of their own in terms of industry influence and there are no signs of a change to their dominance anytime soon.
While many new entrants continue to challenge the trio, none of them have proven themselves as savvy or forward-looking.
The three founders were first and foremost daring artists in their own right, who revolutionized Korean pop music even before the idol-factory model came around.
None of their track records prevent them from potential hiccups or hide them from the sector’s inherent risks but their strengths should keep them ahead of the curve.
Lee Soo-man: cunning mastermind
Lee, 59, is known most for his audacity and conviction but is also a shrewd businessman.
A graduate of Seoul National University, he first dabbled in a variety of genres as a solo singer in the 1970s. In 1980, he formed the country’s first heavy metal band, only to be rebuffed by the Chun Doo-hwan administration’s strict censorship. Within a year, he unashamedly dropped his music career and flew across the Pacific to study for a master’s degree in robotics at California State University, Northridge.
The MTV revolution of the 1980s made him change his mind and a in 1989, he founded with 200 million won in capital what is now the biggest music agency in the country, today valued at close to 800 billion won.
Lee’s firm grip on SM Entertainment’s artists, especially the “slave contracts,” has earned him an unflattering reputation, but industry insiders who have worked with him agree that his success stems from perfectionism: he leaves no room for failure.
“When you enter into an agreement with SM, you have long, American-style contracts, which is very uncommon even outside the (usually casual) music industry,” said one source who has worked with Lee and SM, speaking on condition of anonymity. “They don’t do deals where they could lose money.”
This has fueled unconfirmed rumors of the agency’s practices. Before scheduling concerts in Paris this summer, Lee supposedly battled for ― and won ― a down payment from the government, after the Korean embassy in Paris had relayed and endorsed a request from the French fan club. While the alleged amount was not sizeable, it underscored the industry’s widespread understanding of their practices.
An SM spokeswoman declined to comment further than say it was a “baseless claim by someone who has no understanding of the music industry.”
SM’s version of K-pop will grow based on this calculated risk-taking.
Yang Hyun-suk: instinctive tastemaker
Before his agency came to produce a consistent string of hits with several different artists, Yang, 41, was a victim of underestimation.
He was misperceived as playing third fiddle to Korean icon Seo Taiji and dance prodigy Lee Juno in the group that revolutionized the music scene in the early ‘90’s, with Seo Taiji and Boys.
But not many know that Yang was the one who advised Seo on major decisions, including the trio’s formation.
As the name implies, Seo was the creative core and leader; Lee Juno impressed the audience with showy dance moves. Seo not only sang but rapped, sharing relatively little of the group’s massive limelight. He is still regarded as one of the most innovative musicians in contemporary Korean music, despite his marginal influence on the mainstream K-pop that Yang has a hold on, today.
Seo, hoping to work as a solo rap artist, sought out “the best dancer in the country” for lessons and ended up working with Yang, then a famous backup dancer. During one of their rehearsals, Yang had the chance to hear Seo’s demo of the now-legendary track, “Nan Arayo” (I know), the first rap song in Korea. Sensing a hit, Yang suggested not only a group debut but also the addition of a singing chorus. The collaboration resulted in a game-changer and almost a Michael Jackson “Thriller” moment for the Korean pop music industry.
He was already an instinctive hit maker who knew what would sell.
Though he has delegated the numerical tasks to his younger brother Yang Min-suk, CEO, he continues to be the guiding light of the company, with an uncanny sense of “popular” pop music.
Probably because of the American market flop of its male solo artist Se7en, YG has been relatively less active in overseas investments thus far, leaving SM and JYP to pave the road.
Otherwise YG is surfing hallyu (the Korean wave) much more successfully than its rivals, free-riding on the publicity efforts undertaken by others.
As the recent recognitions of its acts Big Bang and 2NE1 show, Yang proves music should still be the backbone of growth.
Park Jin-young: enfant terrible
Park Jin-young, 39, who made his debut in 1994 as a solo artist, is most noted for provoking the public with suggestive lyrics, moves and outfits. This was even more commendable since he achieved sexiness without conforming to the socially-accepted definition of good looks. It was a remarkable and exceptional feat, given the impossibly high standards of beauty imposed on celebrities.
He was a fast learner in the music business too and founded an agency only three years after his debut, which was renamed JYP Entertainment in 2001.
He is the only one of the top three music executives who can call himself a real producer. He continues to produce smash hits for the performers on his roster, such as 2PM and Wonder Girls.
This is a double-edged sword, however.
While Park can continue to establish strong brands based on his famous sex appeal, acrobatic moves and most of all trademarked JYP funky sound, this approach put him and only him at the fore. His artists often look like an afterthought. The exception is, of course, the (solo) superstar Rain, who created synergy with Park instead of miming to the K-pop machine.
Unlike YG, which conspicuously highlights individual members within bands and SM, which carefully handpicks singers and dancers with subtle differences to complete a universally-appealing group, JYP somehow tends to form marching bands.
This Park-driven model has got to change if the agency wants to compete more effectively with its rivals, but the compact structure has its upsides.
“Of the three, JYP is the most personable and easily approachable,” said another industry source, asking for their identity not to be disclosed due to an ongoing relationship with the agencies.
“They go out of their way to make each project successful.”