KeyEast Entertainment has been one of the largest and most prominent agencies in K-ent on the acting side but of course there are always arrivals and departures. This is a large departure so worth noting: long time actors Jung Ryeo Won, Son Dam Bi, and married couple In Kyo Jin and So Yi Hyun are all leaving KeyEast and signing with a new agency formed by their manager. On top of that, Joo Ji Hoon is also reportedly considering his future with KeyEast but on his status the agency released a statement that Joo Ji Hoon isn’t going anywhere as there is still a long time left on his contract. KeyEast recently lost two top male actors with Kim Soo Hyun leaving last year in 2019 and the prior year in 2018 Park Seo Joon also changed agencies, but overall the major player agency still has plenty of top names under its umbrella.
Aren’t KeyEast now subsidiary of SM ent?
Or that’s another agency?
JJH treated really well.
I hope they all the best, I think JJH Kingdoms and Camellia with Son Dam Bi is iconic for their career.
Yup SMEnt. They are not any more under BYJ, i think it happened last year.
And I saw this coming since then, the moving of artist away.
Kim Soohyun renewed his contract with them a couple of times even with his success but with change of ownership, he and all other aetist probably lost trust in whoever is the head.
I wonder if Kim Dongwook, Woo DooHwan, Son Hyunjoo will also leave too after theur contract ends.
They’re not A-class actors, so don’t worry.
They’ve all gotten good parts in the past by sticking with KeyEast. There’s a big risk in leaving such a fine agency run by Bae Yong Joon of Winter Sonata fame. He knows how to treat actors because he was one himself. But I guess after a certain amount of time they can get antsy about their acting futures, especially as they age. There’s a lot of competition for the best roles. I’d rather have experienced Bae Yong Joon plugging for me instead of some relative with no experience starting his own agency.
Except that Bae Yong Joon sold his shares to SM and no longer runs the agency. He’s now busy playing golf and enjoying time with his family.
He’s got other businesses to run like real estate investments and a restaurant in Hawaii, though I suppose during Covid times it’s not done well. He may have sold shares in KeyEast but he probably remains in contact with the principal investors, giving them experienced advice when needed. That business was his baby for a long time, before his real babies popped out of that FBND supporting actress with the mole on the tip of her nose that he married. 🙂
It’s kinda good move for Park Seo Joon to leave in 2018, imagine he got more successful and good projects after.
After Key East acquired by SM Ent, I think SOOP Management got more A-list actors/actresses.