So K-actress Jung So Min is in the news this week for two separate but kinda connected things. Her new Korean rom-com movie 30 Days opposite Kang Ha Neul is coming out next month on October 3rd so promos are starting up. But she’s also leaving his agency TH Company after signing last year, the agency was formed by Kang Ha Neul when his own contract expired and he set off solo. Obviously she got the role in 30 Days with him as part of the agency and perhaps it’s not as focused on her career so now she’s joining the actress heavy Ieum Hashtag, the same agency that reps Jeon Ji Hyun, Seo Ji Hye, Kim So Hyun, and Seolhyun. I feel like Ieum is assembling a top female book just to have them all star in some fantasy female superhero or assassin sisters movie lol.
No idea if this is the reason but she hardly had any projects lined up after joining TH Company.
She always did at least 2 dramas per year, so I’m not surprised she is switching agencies. I hope to see more of her in the upcoming year. 😀
TM Company was always a temporary label. I think her contract with Blossom entertainment ended while she was at the tail end of filming AOS so she needed another agency to hammer out her contract for 30 days and Shakespeare in love. But I am glad she took her time to find another label. While blossom was amazing at the time she signed up, I was skeptical if she would get good roles as the men in that Company were the heavy hitters and there weren’t stand out female stars under that label.
I can’t tell you how freakin excited I am that JSM is under the same label as my other favorite Jun Ji Hyun. Even there are so many females under the Leum Hastag, I think this is the perfect fit for JSM. There is definitely a place for her because it feels like each female are very specific in the types of roles each would play and hopefully she gets better endorsements. I am so excited to see what her next drama will be but in the meantime I can’t wait for 30 days. It looks so funny!
Sorry to burst your bubble but Ieum doesn’t promote their artists either. Except for JJH none of the others have any endorsements worth mentioning. She was better off in Blossom because Ieum reserves its main resources for JJH only. Seolhyun hasn’t had any new projects either since joining the agency and its already been almost a year.
Also she only signed an exclusive 6 month contract at TM Company starting August 2022. She has been a free agent since March/April 2023.
It seems that there is one person here that hates Jung So Min for some reason, and is posting all kind of nonsense under different aliases. Weird. I cannot say I am her number 1 fan, but she has always been very watchable in her dramas, I don’t know why would someone feel triggered by her! Weird…
JSM seems to be the least of the AOS gang that didn’t take advantage of its huge success( the drama was really the biggest hit of 2022). Other casts, went on w/ endorsements and project after project. She chose a play that kept her off the momentum and then a movie that now is just releasing & no endorsement. So it does seem like she won’t in hiding w/ nothing really in the news.
I hope w/ her new agency, she can shine more.
“She chose a play that kept her off the momentum” – that made me smile. LOTS of screen actors, including big names, are doing stage roles recently, and all seem driven by the same goal – to become better actors, broadening and sharpening their skills. I commend Ms Jeong for showing the same dedication to her craft.
Doing plays doesn’t improve your skills else top actors like SYJ and JJH would have done it ages ago. By rule theatre and dramas/films require very different acting skills. More and more actors are doing plays because there are fewer dramas being filmed recently and those being filmed don’t always air. There are over a 100 dramas still waiting to air. With broadcasters cutting down on their dramas and Netflix only giving opportunities to their favourites there is less opportunity for actors like JSM. She’s the only one who didn’t get popular from AoS but it’s also because she was too old for the rest of the cast and the drama in general which was aimed at a much younger audience. GYJ and LJW were too perfect together and it completely eroded the character that JSM had built and the post drama interaction between the younger cast was much stronger as they were similar age peers. Now people only remember GYJ also because she’s more in line with the Korean beauty standards which is also why I enjoyed watching her a lot more than JSM who should never have done the drama in the first place.
@Rented One of the more hilarious takes I have read over the internet. JSM already have that popularity and no amount of hatred would decline that.
That’s because she’s already a well-known actress at this point. She can do passion projects and that wouldn’t affect her celebrity status, she can just jump back to getting lead roles after.
Those younger cast need to do back-to-back projects to familiarize themselves to the public. She did those back-to-back projects when she started a few years back.
I would not say she is even remotely well established. She’s older and has been around for many years but when it come to popularity the younger cast were always miles ahead of her. People have been talking about Gong Younjung since her rookie days and she was pegged as Han Sohee level of Goddess beauty. Brands loved her even before her breakout and they love her more now. She’s never been starved of endorsements. Lee Jaewook was always on the brink of a breakout and acted circles around Jung Somin even then. He was the entire drama and he’s never not been popular since his breakout in Search WWW. He was the hottest rookie along with Lee Dohyun and Song Kang. Those visuals and that talent can never not be popular. I don’t need to mention about Hwang Minhyun. He’s been around for over a decade and was a Wanna One member so he had more name recognition than Jung Somin by miles. He landed his first lead role recently opposite a top star like Kim Sohyun and neither of them ratings to be popular. He’ll keep bagging those lead roles opposite big names even without pulling in ratings because he’s got the looks and brand recognition value. He’s been the Moncler ambassador since 2018 long before AoS existed. None of the young cast were less popular than Jung Somin when the drama came out. Most of the audience only watched the drama for them.
Sometimes I feel like the only person in the world who doesn’t get the hype for Go Youn Jung’s visuals. Han So Hee is an absolute goddess, I totally get the hype for her beauty. But Go Youn Jung? She’s not ugly or anything, but she’s just as pretty as other random actresses you’ll see in second lead roles, and I don’t think she’s a level above most actresses in terms of beauty. I’ve actually seen some actresses in second lead roles who have far more outstanding beauty than herd and should be hyped lol. No hate to her, I’m sure she’s a nice person, I’m really just confused about all the hype. But again, it’s just my opinion
Ieum wont do anything for her. All the good scripts will go to Jun Ji Hyun. She’s too old to compete with Kim So Hyun and Seolhyun while Seo Ji Hye is more popular than her so she will maybe end up with the leftovers rejected by Seo Ji Hye. In a few months her fans will be begging for her to leave the agency. She’s going to erode what’s left of her career by the time she hits 40 and then nobody will care about her.
I’m a big fan of Seo Ji Hye, but I’d still like to know where your evidence is for the assertion that she’s more popular than JSM. Certainly she’s not noticeably more active in Dramas right now. Neither has any projects announced for 2023, and next year SJH will herself be 40, the age at which you predict no one will care about JSM, while JSM will only be 35.
You make it sound like popularity is everything😅 Somin’s already made her mark in the industry and is loved by a lot of sane people. In her 40s, I certainly would like Somin to have her own family. The girl is rich, educated and multi-talented with so many hobbies to keep her from getting bored😄 So don’t worry she will lead a happy life in her 40s with or w/o work as an actress and that’s what should matter😉
Somin is in her 30s and AoS is her 13th project as female lead. I bet she’s surprised at the success of AoS: not her type of genre and her 1st historical drama in fact😂 She already auditioned for SIL before AoS was released. SIL’s a dream project of Somin’s. That said, it’s ridiculous that someone compared Somin with those AoS rookies here. For one, it’s in your 20s that you get most of the endorsements. JSM had her fair share of endorsements in her 20s. Talking about popularity: very few have remained popular for so long. And I doubt if the AoS rookies that this cottonball😆 mentioned would be some of those who will stay. Besides, I will prefer my stan to be someone who’s respected than just be “popular”. A lof of social influencers are more popular than “respectable/legit” actors for some ludicrous reasons. Popularity can indeed be cheap. What makes fans happy may not be what makes the artist happy. Somin has been well-respected in the industry because of her family and educational background, her untainted reputation for decades and work ethics. She’s no clout chaser. I do not understand why a GYJ fan is so inclined to hype her at the expense of a veteran actress like Somin. GYJ looks just so happy working as support to veteran actors in fantasy dramas. How many fanyasy dramas has she done? Has she won any award after doing 4-5 projects? Until she gets a best rookie award you can’t dream for best actress😂 How does she fare with her contemporaries in terms of getting lead roles? Her popularity has not much to do with her acting but with her not-so natural looks and awkward charm like she lives in a bubble. That’s appealing to a lot of people. But that does not make cotton’s GYJ better than other artists. And pls, GYJ is no Han Sohee. HSH is a natural beauty and carries herself gracefully. GYJ can be uncouth and unintentionally funny and people love it.
Thank for touching on some of the things I have been thinking while reading all these comments. Many commenters seem to think that their bias exists to be on their screens 24/7, and anything less is somehow either incompetence by the agency or deliberate neglect, or both.
The idea that the individuals might also be interested in work-life balance seems to have eluded many. It’s very possible some entertainers may actually consider other factors(many of which will be completely unknown to us as viewers/fans) in deciding which agency to use, how much work they accept, etc. They don’t actually exist for our convenience, or to meet our expectations of how often we see them.
Fans of her should lower their expectation when it comes to ieum#. Speaking as a long time fan of KSH lol.
I agree. Fan of Sso too, and I really want to know what is it that these actresses are seeing in Ieum that made them move there, because whatever it is, I’m not seeing it lol. Seolhyun and now Jung So Min? Like, why? lmao
I think only Jun Ji Hyun gets properly promoted by Ieum and probably a close second is Sso, but even the level of promotion given to her is lacking for an actress of her caliber. Maybe other people here have any insights about why actresses keep signing to that agency? Because I’m really scratching my head here lmao
I am happy now that they are at least giving her photoshoots but they barely post anything in their official ig account. Hope she will take the drama opposite Bogum which seem like a non romance drama which means her performace will get more focus.
Yes, their social media managers should post more! lol
Also, not to overly romanticize Sso’s Sidus days, but remember when Sidus used to release constant Sso content? As in, we’d get loads of behind the scene HD pics of her, and that’s just from one photoshoot! Lead roles, special appearances, movies, CFs, multiple endorsements, events attendance, MC gigs, Sso had all of those back then. Sidus is a shady agency, but they know how to promote their stars, I’d give them that lol. Wish Ieum would take notes. I really don’t know what Jung So Min is thinking, I mean, of all agencies, she’s signing to Ieum? lol. I do like her, so best of luck to her
I think it’s because Ieum Hashtag is a “serious” acting agency. The projects their actors get are good long term ones, that may not be flashy but respected. Jun Ji Hyun got Kingdom, Jirisan and ad contracts (that we may not see outside Korea), and so did Seo Ji Hye with Adamas, Kiss Sixth Sense and Red Balloon (plus brand ambassadorships). Kim So Hyun and Seolhyun admittedly hasn’t been getting much yet, I think they are still working out how to deal with younger actors who need constant media exposure
@Tweede Yeah, that’s a good point. That makes sense if that’s the reason. Looking at the lists of artists formerly managed by Culture Depot, they’re mostly more matured actors and actresses in their 30s. And aside from KSH and Park Min Young, they weren’t managing the trendy type of actors (mentioned CD because the founder of Ieum was the former representative of CD). Yeah, they’re probably cultivating that “agency for serious actors” image
I have my own criticisms with the agency as well. But maybe the answer to your question is something we don’t and aren’t really meant to see in the first place which are the benefits of privacy, liberty to balance their own public and personal lives, connections to bigger names and brands, and protection especially from any kind of controversy that may arise in the future.
This is a perfect package for actresses who have already passed the “I want people to know me” phase and are now aiming for stability, longevity, and better network and opportunities. CMIIW but I think this is what Kim So Hyun always wanted to be ever since she was young: To become a stable actress and to act for a long time. But woman also values her education so she decided to take a long break and re-enroll in the university during her hiatus. Actually, this acting and schooling balance is something she could hardly do during her SidusHQ days due to back-to-back filming, hence her decision to be homeschooled for high school when she took a career turning point for School 2015. So I understand why she chose to be in Ieum, likewise with Seol Hyun and So Min but for age-appropriate reasons. Whatever conditions Ieum offered to them might be or rather should be aligned to their goals, because obviously actresses won’t commit themselves if their values and priorities don’t resonate with those of the agency, right?
The agency may be lacking at promos so far and as a newly-established company I hope they can improve this shortcoming in the future, but it seems like Ieum’s talents don’t mind the compromise if the advantages I’ve mentioned above are guaranteed and if they find it more efficient for now to promote themselves in their own SNS accounts anyway. I think fans are focusing too much on the promo side that they overlooked other aspects. I’m not saying it’s desirable, but there are agencies that perform worse in the promotions department because they don’t even have SNS accounts. Best example is UAA which houses Song Hye Kyo, Yoo Ah In, Kim Da Mi, and Ahn Eun Jin. Their fans are definitely suffering more from a complete 0 agency content, but at the same time there’s this sort of assurance of getting quality activities and quiet handling of potential issues. Also, it may not seem like it for some since they don’t show it to the public, but Ieum’s talents seem to have good relationships with one another based on sightings and events they attend altogether. So yeah, we should also look at the bigger picture. It’s the dilemma of getting more promos and projects but actress is pressured and overworked vs. getting less promos and projects but actress is more relaxed and has more me time. These actresses knew what they want and their preference for the latter option must be respected because it’s them who decides on their career. Hope I was able to clearly explain this to you and the other fans.
@Gabb I appreciate your insight! Those are really great points you raised, especially the behind the scenes stuff. I admit I’m sometimes guilty of wanting to see my girl a lot whether in dramas, movies, photoshoots, and CFs. I guess I was just really used to see her Sidus days where she was like everywhere. Even when she was signed to the agency she formed back in 2018 (E&T Story), she still had CFs, reality show, and stuff and was still fairly visible, so it was really frustrating to see her suddenly go no-show like that. Add to that, she used to post a lot on social media, so I thought she’s the type of celeb that really wants to share a lot of her life with her fans, and so it was surprising to me that she rarely posted in 2020-2022. I admit, I should’ve considered the fact that maybe she just matured and posting a lot on social media isn’t a priority for her anymore. But yeah, you’re right, sometimes the agency sucks, sometimes it’s just the decision of the actress that they want to be less visible and have more relaxation time. Guess I was just very frustrated because I want her to stay relevant and you know how competitive the industry is now, with the new faces and all.
Anyway, great comment and definitely gave some things to think about!
@gabb thank for your insigh.
As her fans i know she got a big ambition when she choose RWTMR and i know CD provide her well, but life is unpredictable. The script change, the tim stab her in the back, new male lead addlibs 80% and make it his own drama 🤣 i not againt addlibs but 80%? lol
Her interview reduce my prejudice again IEUM#, yes her last drama give her so much life lesson and trauma 😠despite all negative thinking, i love that IEUM# didnt pressure to always work because girl really need loooong vacation.
She heal her mentality and go to school again 🥺 also she choose mll because the team familiar to her and acting with them make her happy. And i believe she and IEUM Will try to build her career, it just a first step.
So don’t worry too much for jsm fans. You guys just need patient and believe in your actress.
Jung So Min is a good actress who has chemistry with older co stars . She had fantastic chemistry with Kang ji hwan, Lee Min Ki, Seo In Guk…She used to be called the litte Yoon Eun Hye but she never had a big success under her belt . Now the competition is hard with the relative new actresses with their goddess like beauty , getting projects one after one . Even if i personally find Jung So Min beautiful she isn’t in the classic beauty style . But they are the actresses that i like more , Jung So Min, Yoon Eun Hye, Park So Dam, Moon geum Young, Kim Se Jung,Lee EliJah, Nam Ji Hyun, Go Ah Sung,… because they are unique
lower your expectations. at most ieum can give her are magazine photoshoots,just like what sohyun and seolhyun got before right after their signing news with ieum. if she’s lucky, she’ll obtain 1 cf after a year with ieum. coz all of the cf resources will go to jun jihyun first. oh not to mention their ig handlers are s*cks. they don’t want to work on weekends. so lazy you know. it’s kind of fortunate that sohyun have 4 magazine photoshoots for my lovely liar but i would credit it to tvn and production house. all the best to jung somin, seolhyun and sohyun. i think the competition for getting the agency resources is fierce among them. oh another thing.. i think they’re understaffed. it seems that they shared the same manager amd assistant among them 🤣 that managersim and kimkim.. hahhaha
oh another thing is… if you’re a female lead, you might expect that yoon jion will act as a 2nd ml in her drama.. hahhaha