Which Korean stars have their own entertainment agencies? Crash Landing on You’s Hyun Bin, Vagabond’s Lee Seung-gi and 5 more make our list
- Singer Rain left JYP to go it alone while hip hop artist and former member of 2PM, Jay Park, launched his own company too
- Gangnam Style and Gentleman singer Psy left YG Entertainment in 2018 and set up P Nation, attracting the likes of Hyuna, Dawn and Heize
It is common for celebrities to explore other areas of interest, building on new-found skills and making use of time between tours or filming. While some get hooked on a new career, such as idols who get into acting or investing in real estate, others decide to found their own start-ups.
Actors Lee Jong-suk and Yoo Ah-in both opened restaurants and cafes, but others opt to stay in the entertainment industry and pave a new path overseeing younger artists.
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.