Upon entering a room with a wide open view of the Han River, I am welcomed by a 3-meter-tall figurine of Robot Taekwon-V, taking charge of the place as if he owned it. The real owner was wearing jeans with his bare feet shoved into his sneakers, and taking in the sights of the room while he expertly poured me coffee was a much enjoyable experience for me as a visitor.
The room was filled shelves which housed a myriad of different figurines, a Mickey Mouse with a comical expression sitting in the entryway to the balcony leading to an outdoor garden, and a life-size dog doll produced by MCM. If it weren’t for the three upscale Apple computers and sound system sitting on top of the desk, this place would have felt more like a Disney Land theme park; it is the workspace of Yang Hyun Suk who wrote the success story of YG Entertainment, often called the ‘google of Korea.’ He transformed this room in which he spends the most of his time into a space that resembled himself and all of his secretive and aesthetic sensibilities that he normally did not reveal. This unexpected image of him that is difficult yet emphasizes trust and loyalty can be seen in his interpersonal relationships and in his business style.
It’s been 4 years since Yang Hyun Suk has agreed to an interview. During this interview, he revealed for the first time the ways he’s changed since his marriage to Lee Eun Joo and the birth of his daughter. He told us of the circumstances that brought him from when he had joined the entertainment scene because he loved dancing, to setting up YG in a basement after Seo Taiji and Boys broke up 15 years ago, to the present as K-pop is in its heyday as Big Bang and 2NE1 are working up a storm in the music industry. The headquarters of YG, which have received praise from world-famous music producers such as America’s pop legend Quincy Jones and Black Eyed Peas’ leader and intel director Will.I.Am, were also revealed.
Yang Hyun Suk opened up for the first time about his married life saying, “Because Lee Eun Joo wanted to wear a wedding dress, we held a small ceremony and photo shoot together with our parents and close relatives.” He continued, “Eun Joo knows my style and understands me, so I’m comfortable. There were one or two times when we had small disagreements, but we’ve never had outbursts or fights. We have fun and live like friends.”
Even Yang Hyun Suk turns into a blabbering idiot in front of his daughter Yoo Jin, who was born last September. Though he said that he developed a panic disorder as his life started to change with the birth of his child, he admits, “I play with my baby for about an hour a day, and I miss her already even as I turn to leave.” His love for his daughter is big, but he is still an awkward dad having grown up as the second of three boys. He said, “We received a stroller as a present and I started to put it together. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how it went together so I gave up. A couple of days later I asked Sean to do it for me, since he’s an expert at raising kids. It was a simple task for him, and it was complete within minutes. Sean is a family-man, and on top of that he had to take care of the house since his wife is busy as an actress, so he’s probably better than most housewives,” and refused to acknowledge his own incompetence as a new dad to the very end.
Yang Hyun Suk once said that as he revealed his 9-year-long secret relationship with Lee Eun Joo for the first time through a ‘From YG’ blog post, he wanted to ‘become a dependable protector.’ He considers taking care of Lee Eun Joo’s older brother Lee Jae Jin as part of his duty as well. The senior who Lee Jae Jin found difficult to approach during his Sechskies days had now become his brother-in-law, but now they consider each other true brothers. Yang Hyun Suk even made it possible for Lee Jae Jin to continue to take the art lessons he wanted to take.
Yang Hyun Suk reserved his words when it came to Seo Taiji’s scandal of his 12-year marriage which was brought into the limelight just one year after his own confession of his secret relationship. But he was also hesitant to take any which side. He said, “Honestly I don’t have anything to say. I can’t say that just because I’ve spent the most time with him as friends I can unconditionally understand him and take his side without even knowing his side of the story. It’s his life, and I just wish it would all just figure itself out well.”
When Kang Seung Yoon, who received the most love-calls from entertainment companies upon the completion of SuperstarK2, chose to sign with YG, there was a lot of mixed feelings. Though some believed that it was the best decision for him, there were others who worried about when he would be able to debut on stage. This is because it is well known that from Se7en to Big Bang, all of the artists with YG spend a long and grueling 6-7 years as trainees before being able to debut. Kang Seung Yoon knew this well. When questioned, he replied, “I’m making progress daily so I don’t think it will take that long.”
“It’s hard to get in, but it’s even harder to get out.”
This is what is said about Yang Hyun Suk’s HR style, which is famous for being high.
There are many former stars amongst the YG staff. Kim Jinu of Jinusean, who is known for his exceptional English-speaking skills due to his time spent in the States and his good looks and social skills, is in charge of international affairs. Sean, who is the icon of Noblesse Oblige along with Kim Jang Hoon, is helping with YG’s WITH campaign. The WITH campaign is a good will project that began in 2009, in which YG artists would donate 10 cents per album sold and 1% of all other profits to charity. It is an enterprise-level voluntary campaign of the kind difficult to find even in large companies. At the end of the year, YG stars and artists volunteered their time to deliver coal briquets during the winter. When disaster hit Japan, YG donated about $500,000. Teddy, who produced 90% of Park Bom’s recent album, is formerly a member of 1TYM and is one of YG’s forefront producers.
Not only are their formers stars amongst this entertainment business, but also those who have been a part of the staff for over 10 years. It is common to find stylists, choreographers, etc. who joined YG in their teens, gathered much experience, and are now quite renown in their respective fields.
At the beginning of last year, Yang Hyun Suk’s successful resigning of Big Bang to his company became a big deal. In addition, Se7en renewed his contract and joined the ranks with those who also worked with YG for over 10 years. You can hardly count with one hand the number of times someone would leave the company after making it through their training period and becoming a star.
After renewing Big Bang’s contract, Yang Hyun Suk said that, “We gave them the treatment befitting their name and level,” and that, “We’ve extended their contract for another five years, but unforeseen circumstances could arise that might limit their activities. We designed the contract to cover such things, no matter what.” He added, “I have thought about whether I would be able to make another group like Big Bang. I think it’s going to be very difficult finding individual members with personality and talent, like the members of Big Bang. That is how precious this team is not only to me as the producer, but to the music industry.”
A funny press release was distributed that was written by Yang Hyun Suk himself back during the debut of Big Mama, who are now disbanded after leaving YG. In his introduction of Big Mama, he had criticized society’s prejudice about appearances by writing, “If they undergo plastic surgery, this provides enough grounds to terminate the contract.” People began to wonder what standards he used for his artists.
“The most important thing at auditions is exceptional talent, but I look for hidden potential. In Big Bang’s case when Daesung first came out, people would say funny things like, ‘That kid must sing really well.’ A lot of people objected, but I thought Daesung’s smiling face was really attractive. I saw an emotion that was able to make everyone around him feel good.”
Yang Hyun Suk’s unexpected images as ‘president’ and ‘hyung (older brother)’ can be seen when Se7en, Big Bang, and 2NE1 appear on television. There are those who meet him for the first time and say, “Ah, it’s really the same.” When he sees his company’s artists imitate him, he says, “I think it’s funny too. I can’t help but laugh when I think that that’s how my character is portrayed to everyone.”
Though usually notoriously difficult, he also revealed his plans to open the doors to YG auditions even wider in order to be able to discover new stars.
YG’s competitiveness, 10 producers and 13 studios
Five years ago, Yang Hyun Suk once stated in an interview that he will “raise up Hallyu through talent.” These words became a reality. On YG’s 15th anniversary since it’s humble beginnings in a basement, Yang Hyun Suk is in his heyday as a producer. Big Bang and 2NE1 are being acknowledged worldwide as they are recording hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, and YG Family’s year-end concert and Big Bang’s Big Show are success stories in the performance industry. Currently there are 150 staff members, 200 including free lancers. Last year’s income came in at 500 million won. This year we expect the income to be even higher than expected due to Big Bang’s comeback after 2 years and 3 months.
Looking back, from dancing, to Seo Taiji and Boys, and now as a producer, he spent each period in his life as his heyday. (Seo Taiji, who was preparing for his solo debut after the disbanding of Sinawe, went to Yang Hyun Suk to learn dance but in the end just wasted the lesson fee. As famous as this became in the formation of Seo Taiji and Boys, he was also a well-known dancer in clubs even before his debut.)
Yang Hyun Suk attributed YG’s growth and success of the last 15 years to excellence in quality and the system of producers.
He stated, “The reason there were no conflicts with Taiji during the time I spent as an idol in Seo Taiji and Boys is that each of our roles were very clear and well-defined. If Seo Taiji was in charge of the music, I was in charge of choreography and wardrobe, and so there was no room for any conflict. It’s the same now. The role I have now is to provide the producers a good space to make music and to provide guidelines for our choreography, fashion, and style.”
Having ten producers, including former 1TYM member Teddy, and 13 studios in the newly built headquarters, into which YG moved last year, is a way of ensuring that high quality contents are produced. YG studios have become a pit stop for all high profile world-renown producers when they visit the country. The advice they offer becomes a great help when it comes to advancing into the global music market.
“Whenever producers such as Will.I.Am or Quincy Jones visits the YG office, it becomes a great opportunity for the producers to talk with them. Will.I.Am in particular gave his praises saying our studio equipment and facilities are of a quality that is hard to find even in America. They like this place so much that they spend up to five hours here on a single day even though they have busy schedules. And he’s the one who told us that we should advance into the South American and European markets since he knows there are a lot of 2NE1 fans in Brazil. When we went to Brazil for a concert, it was just as he said, with fans waiting for us at the airport holding up signs. Quincy Jones also gave us a lot of good advice. Teddy asked him for advice about what to do when he hits a block while making music, and Jones told him that ‘music is not something I make, but something that comes from heaven and is expressed through me. All you have to do is express exactly what you feel. If you fill your head with good thoughts, then good music will come out,’ and they spent a long time talking together. They had something in common, so they were able to enjoy the conversation.”
We also asked him about the role of YG amongst what is called the Big 3, namely SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG, who are at the forefront of the new Hallyu wave but each have their own unique styles. In his drama ‘Dream High,’ Park Jin Young referred to the bosses of each company, Yang Hyun Suk, Park Jin Young, and Lee Soo Man, simply as ‘Yang Jin Man’ and caused quite a stir.
“I think YG attracts the expert enthusiasts. It comes from the competitiveness amongst the producers. Park Jin Young always asks me if I want to stand on the stage again. I wouldn’t want to even if they paid me millions of dollars. I am jealous of Jin Young’s relentless passion, but what I want to do is something different. Lee Soo Man is of a different generation and is 17 years older than I am so he’s a difficult entity for me, but there’s a lot I can learn from his business style. There’s hardly any exchange amongst the three of us, because each of our directions is very different. Personally I like Girls’ Generation (SNSD). I don’t have that kind of emotion so I could never put together a group like that. So I think that’s even more amazing. My job is to make groups of the kind that do not exist yet, and I will continue to work towards that goal.”
He added, “These days I am fully realizing the strength of the new Hallyu wave through 2NE1 who was able to bring in over 5 million views on YouTube, something even American pop artists have a hard time doing these days. I feel both pride and responsibility when I think about how much times have changed since the days when K-pop would be overshadowed by movies and dramas, but is now popular even in culturally sophisticated places like France.”
The reason YG is called the Google of Korea
At the new YG headquarters which was newly built last year, energy is bursting at the seam all the way from the top floor where Yang Hyun Suk’s office is located down to the basement floor where one can find the dining hall. Each floor of this building, which was introduced in many architecture magazines, is designed with a different concept in a modern style.
As they say that the house becomes like the owner, and one can feel a sense of Yang Hyun Suk’s personality and values in each corner of the building. Visitors say that their favorite parts are the 13 different world-class studios and the dining hall on the bottom floor.
The dining hall not only draws attention with its restaurant-like high quality, but it’s a place where one can immediately see why YG is called the Google of Korea. This dining hall became famous by providing the company’s artists and workers with fruit around the clock. Coffee, beverages, cereal, and cup noodles are also available from time to time, but the reason fruit is especially included in the snack menu is because of Yang Hyun Suk’s idea that “it has to be the same as what you’d eat at home.” Having had only kim-bab to eat during his time with Seo Taiji and Boys, one can see the heart he has for juniors’ diet and health in the way he runs the dining hall. Meals are at 12 noon for lunch, 7:00pm for dinner, and again at midnight for a total of three meals a day. Late night dining closes at 3:00am. Everything is free.
YG’s dining hall is frequented by world famous musicians and business leaders, and is famous for having good food. Quicy Jones and Will.I.Am often have their meals here though it is mainly a Korean menu. The chef responsible for this delicious meal that reminds one of a mother’s dinner table was personally scouted by Yang Hyun Suk at a well-known food place in Hong Dae.
Yang Hyun Suk said, “One of the many grievances of these artists who move around a lot and often work until late hours is finding something to eat. Usually there’s no other choice but to have kim-bab or order take-out, but I started the dining hall thinking that at the very least, let’s provide them with food that is like what they can eat at home. There’s a lot of people who are surprised when they see our dining hall, but compared to our other expenses we didn’t spend a lot on it.”
The interior design of the building, which is decorated with pictures of the company’s stars, is not a stuffy space either. It is possible for one to de-stress in the yoga room or fitness room after working for along time in the office. In particular, the fitness room, which is at the disposal of anyone who is part of the YG Family, includes a shower room and a suntan booth that is of hotel standards, and elicits the jealousy of other entertainment companies. The stars often come here instead of going to clubs where they’d have to worry about unwanted attention. A game room with a ping-pong table and pool table and a break room are all at the disposal of the artists. And these facilities can all be used by the celebrities who have a break in their schedules, their managers, staff members, and other workers.
Unlike other companies, YG headquarters are not located in Kang Nam. Because they are an entertainment company that has to foster creativity and consequently develops a lot of stress, they focused that much more on the business environment. YG is located riverside where one can see a wide open view of the Han River and surrounding fields just a few shorts steps away from the studios and offices.
Though we ran into many workers who were taking a break and exercising or playing pool while we took our tour around the office with Yang Hyun Suk, who plays while he works and works while he plays, there was not a single person who became self-conscious or paranoid because the ‘boss’ had dropped in.
End of Interview
2.Daesung not attending concert in Singapore, no performance of Big Bang group songs [NEWS]
"Dear all. We hereby confirm that G-Dragon, TOP, Taeyang and Seungri will be attending Korean Music Wave on 15 July 2011.
Unfortunately, they will not be performing any BIGBANG songs. Instead, look out for an explosive performance from duo GD&TOP and solo performances from Taeyang and Seungri. We would like to seek your understanding and sincerely thank you for your patience and support.On a separate note, thank you all for your kind messages from Daesung & YG. On their behalf, we thank you for your continued support from BIGBANG & YG.
GD, TOP, Taeyang, Seungri are really looking forward to seeing their SG fans! Look out for their greeting video. We will upload it once we receive it!
We understand your disappointment. This is the best solution we have worked out with YG. Please understand this was a hard decision to make."
Source:@KoreanMusicWave
3.SBS to restructure Night After Night, denies cancellation [NEWS]
On June 7th, PD Choi Young In revealed, “The hearing concept that was recorded on the 3rd was the last recording. The rumor that we’re considering replacing the entire cast is false. We have not determined how we are going to change the format.”
“Night After Night” MC Tak Jae Hoon, Park Myung Soo, Kim Jae Dong, Big Bang’s Daesung, After School’s UEE, and CNBLUE’s Yonghwa are the six celebrity guests who are currently participating in the hearing format.
Starting in July, there will be a new concept along with new cast members.
4.“Night After Night” suddenly cancelled? [NEWS]
“Night After Night” has already finished their last recordings during the last 3 days. A person affiliated with “Night After Night” tipped, “I heard news that the sudden decision to cancel the show was made. The members of the cast were more than a little taken aback.”
“Night After Night” was created last October. The recruitment of influential MC’s Tak JaeHoon, Park MyungSoo, and Kim JaeDong created much anticipation. However, after only 8 months time, the show is saying a last farewell to its viewers.
Careful observations that the reason for the cancellation of “Night After Night” is not due to the recent fatal car accident that Daesung was involved in are also emerging. “Night After Night” continued with its recordings despite Daesung being missing for three days, and the broadcast on the 6th cut out the majority of Daesung’s appearances on the show.
There is an analysis that the cause is low viewer ratings. The national viewership of the broadcast of “Night After Night” on the 6th was recorded to be 6.3% (AGB Nielson Media Research). Out of the programs from the three main broadcasting companies that aired at the same time, these are the most disappointing results. Another person affiliated with “Night After Night” said, “It looks as if the combination of various reasons caused the decision to cancel the show. The network is already preparing plans for its next programs.”
Translator's Note: On Naver, articles are saying one of three things: 1) that the show is permanently cancelled 2) that the rumors of cancellation are NOT true, but the format of the show will change 3) that the rumors of cancellation are NOT true, but changes will be made to the cast.
Sadly, like a lot of other recent news, this means that the future will remain ambiguous for now. Maybe SBS will make a definitive statement in an hour, maybe in the next few days. Will update when new info is available.
5.Experts rate idol actors, T.O.P ranks 1 [NEWS]
Experts commented, "His rough and clear image is attractive" (Ahn Hyeon Mo), "His acting has become deeper now." (Heo Woong)
Choi Seung Hyun recently won the "Best New Actor" award for his role in the movie, "Into the Fire", in this year's Baeksang Awards.
Following Choi Seung Hyun are Park Yoochun at #2 (7 points, 7.7 points) and Ok Taecyeon (6.6 points, 7.6 points).
Omitted parts unrelated to T.O.P
6.T.O.P's "A Shot A Day" for Nikon 2011.06.08 [PHOTO]
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