[Gaze★People] YG Entertainment’s Head YANG HYUN SUK on Rolling
[시선뉴스=이호] There are a few entertainment agencies who are leading the trend of Korea’s popular culture.
However, there is only one agency that has both popularity and artistry. That only one is YG Entertainment led by “Yanggun”, YANG HYUN SUK.
YANG HYUN SUK debuted as a member of “Seo Taiji & Boys” who revolutionized Korea’s music scene in 1992. Seo Taiji was a famous vocal and Lee Juno was a famous dancer, and YANG was rather under-recognized at that time. However, now, YANG is an undeniable No.1 planner in the music industry.
After “Seo Taiji & Boys” were disbanded, YANG HYUN SUK established “Yanggun Entertainment” to launch a hip-hop group, and then the company made a new start as YG Entertainment.
The first artist of YG Entertainment (“YG”) was JINUSEAN who debuted in 1997. JINUSEAN was a team of two rappers who pursued orthodox hip-hop and they left a strong impression with their debut song “Gasoline” which was directly written by YANG HYUN SUK. Then, as “Tell Me” written by Lee Hyun-do and featured by famous actress Uhm Jung-hwa created a big hit, the name YG Entertainment became widely known.
YANG HYUN SUK directly helped the promotion and management of Seo Taiji’s sixth album after his comeback in 2000, and launched singers such as Whee Sung, Gummy, Wanted, and Big Mama in 2002, in cooperation with R&B-specialized label M.Boat.
YANG HYUN SUK also successfully launched 1TYM, SE7EN, LEXY, BIGBANG, and 2NE1, to create sensation among the public. Then, YG became one of the top three pop-music labels in Korea, which lead the Korean Wave. However, YG did not stay with such success, but continued on their trials to satisfy the needs of hip-hop fans, to establish YG Underground which is a home for Masta Wu, Stony Skunk, and 45RPM.
YANG HYUN SUK’s success did not stop there, and he successfully launched BIGBANG in Japan in the first half of 2009. Then, in the second half of the year, he produced “1st Mini Album”, the first album of YG’s second hip-hop girl group 2NE1, to create sensation with the first single of the album “I Don’t Care”.
In 2010, PSY joined YG with a shocking condition of zero down payment. The news became a hot issue at that time, and many people were doubtful about if PSY who was seen as a troublemaker until then could create a synergy with YG. However, “Gangnam Style” PSY released in 2012 made an unprecedented hit not only in Korea but around the world to even take the No.2 on Billboard chart, and set a record on YouTube with 2.35 billion views. Such success contributed to YG Entertainment’s global expansion and YANG HYUN SUK became a stock tycoon.
YG has recently recruited writer-cum-comedian Yoo Byung-Jae and comedian Ahn Young-Mi who are enjoying big popularity for their acting in SNL Korea. YG has been operating hip-hop music and actor management business so far, but the area of its business is expanded with the recruitment Yoo and Ahn. People are paying keen attention to the outcome of YANG’s decision, having high interest in what synergy the two comedians will make with YG, to create an unprecedented sensation as PSY did.
YG’s criteria for selection of its idol group members is not how they look. YG trainees should complete a long-time training and prove their talent, then they can make debut. However, once they make debut, YG spares no support for them, and always takes care of them as a family member, even though that takes a toll on the whole company. It is because of such meritocracy and familism why any artist who is serious about their music aspires to work with YG.
YANG HYUN SUK fully armed with a considerate care that prioritizes the autonomy and individuality of his artists, to the extent of giving a separate workroom for EPIK HIGH, with an insight of pursuing a music that seems too unique but can also fulfill popular needs, and with a self-confidence that everything he begins ends up in success. He was one of the “boys” in “Seo Taiji & Boys”, but now he is showing off best capabilities as the head of “YG & Boys”.
2015. 6. 11.
