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■ Punching a Hole in the Stagnant Structure of the K-POP Business?
The K-POP industry may seem to churn with fierce innovation, but in reality, the faces of founders and executives at entertainment agencies haven’t changed much in ages. Amid an aging workforce and the dominance of major players, Lee Joo-hun—at just 35 (born 1990)—belongs to an extraordinarily young generation for a top executive.
(A die-hard Arsenal fan with a gritty backstory as a Marine Corps instructor, he’s the kind of lovable character who gets teased by members for “gaining weight” while buying them snacks—a far cry from the intimidating “big-shot producer” archetype of the past.)
While major agencies obsess over “top-down” constructs like the metaverse or grand world-building, Lee Joo-hun is carving out space with “bottom-up” trust built from his own setbacks, armed with genuine musical instincts unshaken by trends.
As the K-POP business hits a transitional phase, a young creator and producer poised to lead the next era has finally emerged after a long wait. I can’t wait to see what stories he’ll craft from here.
The K-POP industry may seem to churn with fierce innovation, but in reality, the faces of founders and executives at entertainment agencies haven’t changed much in ages. Amid an aging workforce and the dominance of major players, Lee Joo-hun—at just 35 (born 1990)—belongs to an extraordinarily young generation for a top executive.
(A die-hard Arsenal fan with a gritty backstory as a Marine Corps instructor, he’s the kind of lovable character who gets teased by members for “gaining weight” while buying them snacks—a far cry from the intimidating “big-shot producer” archetype of the past.)
While major agencies obsess over “top-down” constructs like the metaverse or grand world-building, Lee Joo-hun is carving out space with “bottom-up” trust built from his own setbacks, armed with genuine musical instincts unshaken by trends.
As the K-POP business hits a transitional phase, a young creator and producer poised to lead the next era has finally emerged after a long wait. I can’t wait to see what stories he’ll craft from here.