Kim Soo Hyun Reportedly to Leave KeyEast After Contract Expiration and Set Up Solo Agency with Cousin

Oh boy, this sounds like a really bad idea from even 50,000 feet away. Popular Hallyu actor Kim Soo Hyun is reportedly not going to renew his KeyEast contract and plans to set up his own agency with his cousin managing. Normally successful stars setting up their own agency after 10 plus years of making boatloads of money for their first agency is totally understandable. Time to take control and also keep more cut of the share. But Kim Soo Hyun’s success with dramas and movies feels so tied to KeyEast and the savvy projects they signed him up for, and his solo outing before going to the military was the indie movie Real made with his cousin that was such a horrific hot mess it has been erased from my memory. He can set up his own agency but please stay away from said Real-related cousin. And perhaps consider negotiating a better contract with KeyEast, sometimes clout and a savvy agency is much appreciated in the longer run.


Comments

Kim Soo Hyun Reportedly to Leave KeyEast After Contract Expiration and Set Up Solo Agency with Cousin — 21 Comments

  1. I am all for him leaving KE, mainly because I feel like it is not the same ever since SMent bought it over. Partnering with his cousin is just not the way to go, he should go with someone else that said cousin who seems to get so much bad rep plus had him do that horrific movie, the only X marked project he has ever done.
    or better yet sign with some legit managing company but make sure you have better contract. With him, I think anyone would accommodate any of his demands.

  2. It’s already a done deal with forming his own agency. It’s not a solo agency because Kim sae Ron and his upcoming leading drama lady are both in final talks to join his agency. No wonder she was cast as his female lead in his next drama, she’s decent tho haha

    JDY and Kim So Hyun both formed their own agency as well, and it worked out splendidly for them, so there’s precedent to be positive 🙂

    JDY surprised me because he wasn’t well known when he formed his own agency, a major risk.

    KIm So Hyun is also surprisingly because although she was well known, she was only 18 and didn’t have major blockbuster dramas/films where she headlined to her name at that time.

    Kim Soo Hyun has major international buzz to his name in projects and CFs compared to JYD and Kim So Hyun, so he will most likely do just fine.

    *kim sae Ron has mostly been Mia except in small projects/small roles for a long time so hopefully signing up to his agency will bring her back the spotlight in major leading roles.

    • KSH had confirmed he was reviewing an offer for his upcoming drama in Oct while still under KeyEast. They could’ve easily offered the female lead to any number of the women under KeyEast at that time as well if it was just about an agency thing. Pls let’s not undermine her and suggest that the only reason SYJ was offered the lead role is because she may be joining his new agency.

      • There has been talks of him leaving his agency way way back. The drama is not financed by key west. So key west can’t just decide to put in one of their talents in a role.

        I’m not undermining her talents. If she got this role due to upcoming contract talks, it’s no big deal. It’s not a bad thing. People get offer roles for a million and one different reasons all the time. Ex. It could be due to connections, due to favors, due to having the right look and certain acting skills, and etc.

  3. @Casey KSH’s reportedly new agency is also not financing the drama so to say “no wonder she was cast as his female lead in his next drama” is a bit undermining and presumptuous.

    • It isn’t presumptions. Even his fans are saying she only got cast for the role because she agreed to join their agency. Everything is a give and take relationship in the industry. There are no coincidences like this. All 3 of them are determined to tank their careers. This cousin is the same the guy who made Sulli strip naked.

      • Just because fans are saying it does not automatically make it true. And considering his agency isn’t even fully established and KeyEast claims they had no idea about him even starting an agency, it isn’t farfetched to say perhaps KSH sought out SYJ because he wanted to.

        I have nothing to say about the cousin because I don’t really know much about him. This was about stating someone only got a role as fact when we know nothing. And whether or not she DID get the role for joining his agency does not negate her talents.

      • It sort off does actually. Like Summi said I’ve also seen on Twitter his core fandom saying that she only got the role because of a tradeo ff. Most of his fans were already shitting on her but now they have ammo to shit on her more. I don’t think they should have mixed their business like this because now her skills are getting negated and it makes her look bad not him. The writer for this drama is already known to be a bad writer and now this weird casting. Like Koala said he should just stick with Keyeast if he wants his career to prosper.

      • @jobo It happens constantly with SYJ when she was cast in Lawless Lawyer with Lee Jun Ki she got a fair bit of ribbing about it and now KSH fans are reacting in the same manner whilst the rest of us are sitting back without a care in the world because her fans hit jackpot if it’s all confirmed. A trade off? Well Umm only KSH can divulge what arrangements he made to score SYJ for the drama and his newly formed agency.

      • @jobo Who did you want cast instead of SYJ? Me personally I wasn’t fussed who they offered the role to as long as the storyline and script stacked up. However I do empathise with his fandom as they would have had their own preference for his FL and it would have been disappointing to read that SYJ was given the nod but again he chose her not the other way around. Check out their 2014 pudding cf if you still think they’re weird because they’re actually visually stunning and compatible.

  4. @kj

    It’s really not a big deal how she got the role tbh, majority of the people are saying that “it’s most likely” she got the role because of her signing up for his agency. He has strong influence who his costar can be.

    No one is saying that it’s a bad thing if she got the role through this route. Well at least I’m saying that it’s not a bad thing.

    I’m pointing out the obvious. The timing is too close for it to be a coincidence. It’s just my observation and it’s not a fact. If you disagree on how she got the role, that’s fine. I’m not knocking on her talents. I saw her in save me, and I like her there.

  5. I thought it was the producer and Director who chose the talent. SYJ has been agent less since leaving King Entertainment in September so imo I guess she was offered the role after PSH declined it and mind you KSH just so happened to be leaving Key east and scouted SYJ and Kim Sae Ron as well and so all we need now is the official update via Mz Koala and Soompi and Bob‘s your Uncle.

    • In the entertainment world for movies/dramas talents can be chosen by any number of reasons not just by director/producer. Financial backers and famous stars can have major influence in casting. Even writers, look at Suzy getting cast as lead of three dramas by the same writer. Generally directors/producers have the bigger say in who gets cast but they can be sway by other people due to many reasons. It’s natural and it happens all the time. Look at the real world in the workforce. Resumes that include references of people that already works at the company will be looked at more than other resumes.

      • well said. the entertainment world is no different from any other workforces. it is common to bring in relatives or friends especially in the non-professional jobs without any requirements of education &/ licenses. suzy without any talents nor acting degree can be a lead, why can’t anybody else?

    • Actors have a huge say in who gets to act with them. Most top actors only want to work with people they’re comfortable with and don’t like new faces or rookies. There is a huge critique of the film industry in Korea that same people act in all the movies and they’ve blocked new blood from entering the market. People have been demanding new faces in films especially for male actors but there haven’t been any.

      • partly because of investors for financial support. no one wants to put lots of money for a rookie actor in a film because tickets may not sell. unless the rookie is very rich and can finance own movie. investors want to bank on big name actors with guaranteed box office and foreign markets. new faces can start off in supporting roles and work their way up if well received by the audiences.

  6. Kudos to Kim Soo Hyun for setting up his own company and I hope he would continue producing films, and ignore the naysayers ignorant comments.

  7. He was once biggest star in korea as well as overseas. The amount of cfs he had once, about 50 plus worldwide in one year when he earned like over 50 million dollars and now cant help but feel sad him ruining his career. His rivals coming up with big projects and he is cmng with small shows. I m not happy. Hope it ends good for him. keyeast managed him well. No wonder bae joong retired as he has such stars under his agency which paid him a lot. Losing ksh is also blow to his agency

    • Apparently their shares dropped when the news was announced that he was leaving. SM acquisition of KeyEast saw an exodus of their top stars i.e Park Seo Joon to name one. Actually KSH is still raking in exclusive CF deals so I wouldn’t cancel him out. I’ve just actively started taking an interest in him due to the recent drama news plus I am a fan of his last 3 main dramas so it’s pretty exciting to see what eventuates. His newly formed agency doesn’t have a name yet so I’m keen to know what he’ll call it. Oh and he’s super super hot and gorgeous I just wanted to add that. ❤️

      • And i hope he gets not only cfs but good movies and dramas. I understand leaving key east as sm is idol company and they will favour idol bad actors over actual superstar actors. Kim soo hyun and park seo joon deserves better. I hope this moves pays off. sm wouldve been biased towards non actress aka idols!!

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