By LazerKim: I do write all about Kim Hyun Joong to the best of my ability and to how far I learned about him. This would include the people closest to Hyun Joong, which I have written quite a lot. But I think what I have not written is Hyun Joong’s relationship to KeyEast, which is the company agent that’s been managing Hyun Joong’s career as solo artist which started in June 2010. It was right after Hyun Joong’s termination of contract under DSP together with his members of SS501.
I think it would be better to discuss what are these agents, what are their roles with artist career, and what are their responsibilities over their managing artist? This topic would at least give us idea as to where agent stand, where an artist stand and where are we fans stands. I’ll just give a brief idea and the most important ones, may I just emphasize that these responsibilities are very basic to any agent. But it may or may not apply, depending on the country ruled by their Government Laws in their entertainment industry.
The artist and agent are both guided by a set of agreements stipulated in a contract covering a certain period of time. In that contract, the responsibilities of both parties are stated including of course on the part of the artist is his professional fees which is fix rate on certain project description, percentage commission for the agent and profit sharing percentage on specific projects. This goes for stars like Hyun Joong.
And also may I clear it out, that these artists do not get monthly salary, they are not on salary basis like employees. They do get professional fees per project. It’s short of saying no work no pay! In Hyun Joong’s case though, being a dancer he gets rehearsal fees too, in some countries rehearsal fees are rated daily and for some they are rated per hour. I’m just not sure how rehearsal fee goes in Korea. Hyun Joong mentioned that he did not get allowances during his training under DSP, and that was why he had to work as part timer in a restaurant as a service crew. But in other countries trainees allowance are being provided for trainees.
In terms of business, the agents are the ones who deals with their client, no client shall go straight to the artist to make their offers. At the same time artist shall not negotiate with agent’s client nor to any client for that matter. In short, agents are mediators or middle man, they are the filters between a clientele and their artist. The agent is responsible in providing projects for artists.
Therefore, if a client producer is interested in Hyun Joong to work on, let’s say in a certain drama project, the client producer deals directly to KeyEast. KeyEast check on details of the project before it lands on Hyun Joong’s lap to review the plot and if it’s alright with him to do the project, KeyEast now starts to negotiate with the client producer. The agent has every right to reject the project even the artist agrees to do the job. KeyEast makes all the arrangement including Hyun Joong’s schedules.
Oh yes I remember, may I just mention, I read from somewhere, about Hyun Jonng’s changing mind or something. Now, may I just clarify, it’s KeyEast who makes the decision for Hyun Joong’s projects and schedules. If there may be changes in Hyun Joong’s plans, it is within KeyEast discretion and not Hyun Joong, since the company is the one negotiating with their clients producers.
KeyEast circulated a notice about for some project delay for Hyun Joong and notify the public for further official announcement, which I think is very professional. KeyEast knows that Hyun Joong’s fan are waiting for his next public exposure, and so KeyEast inform the public for delays in releasing his official schedule.
The agent is fully responsible for the well being of their artist including their health, security and protection. This is very important specially on the case of Hyun Joong since he’s becoming a crowd maker. KeyEast has provided personal body guard to Hyun Joong. Hyun Joong is not deprive of his privacy, there are only instances that Hyun Joong has to notify his manager on his whereabouts so as if anything happens to him KeyEast can easily locate and respond to his needs on certain incidents.
KeyEast has been doing a good job in protecting Hyun Joong so far. And I appreciate it. KeyEast also provides further training for star artists. Like Hyun Joong is undergoing training with his acting couch which is being provided by KeyEast. The agent is responsible in developing their managing artist further in their talents.
And may I just mention, I came across a video clip of Kim Soo Hyun, he’s a co-artist of Hyun Joong belonging to the same agent KeyEast, star in the current drama The Moon Embracing the Sun. The video clip was at the party for the cast and crew of this drama. I think Kim Soo Hyun is also one humble and well mannered artist on dealing with the media. Kim Soo Hyun was on his way to enter the venue where the cast party (The moon and Sun…) and his attention was caught by the media. He approached them and had his interview which he showed his politeness and cheerful.
Kim Soo Hyun is another artist of KeyEast. Oh please don’t misunderstand, I’m not trying to sell out the company!!! It’s because the agent is also responsible in breeding their managing artists specially those artist who started with them as trainees. I think Kim Soo Hyun was a trainee of KeyEast? Please correct me if I’m wrong, but seeing him first at Dream High.
I think he improved a lot for this drama Moon Sun… I think he’s polite and stays at low profile. Well, I can only say, I think Kim Soo Hyun is well guided by his boss Bae Yong Joon too!! Take it from the boss himself, as BYJ had maintained his humble self ever since the start of his career until at present. As Hyun Joong had maintained his feet firmly on the ground.
In showbiz, once an artist commits himself to any project he has to do it, with no turning back not unless his well being is at risk. Failure of any artist to perform in a project agreed upon, the agent is liable to their client. A good example here is Hyun Joong’s boss, Bae Yong Joon, as he was doing the drama Legend, he had multiple accident during filming which had affected his health.
In this case, the producer is liable in taking care of BYJ’s medical treatment, because the accident happened during filming. Nevertheless, Bae Yong Joon push through with the drama until the end. He has to endure the pain from the accident, he has to ride on that horse again and it was painful. But the guy is a real professional, he would careless in enduring the pain just to have that drama done.
Hyun Joong had experienced health deterioration in his past as I have written in my article Pink Health. Back then he was on tight schedule and it was the agent’s responsibility to take care of their artist. Specially in arranging their schedules making sure not to over load their work, because an artist will just do whatever the agent tells them to do. Specially that time he was still an idol from boy band. If the agent can say No, then the artist can not do anything.
As I mentioned in my other article, KeyEast gave the liberty to Hyun Joong in creating his music while the company provided everything he needed for as far as Hyun Joong’s music creation is concern. The rest of his career details, it’s KeyEast concern of course Hyun Joong has his consent. As I have mentioned in my article Drama Talks, Hyun Joong is just waiting for a good drama material, to land on his lap.
In one of HyunJoong’s interviews he actually mentioned during the time he was doing his preparation for his first album Breakdown, there were offers for drama, KeyEast gave him some plots to read, but he never touch it because he doesn’t want to be destructed or be tempted by thinking of drama while his concentration was music. And that his agent had already set his schedule for 2011.
Hyun Joong went to China and as we all know his arrival incident turned out to be a chaos. In this case the principal sponsor of Hyun Joong’s official visit, security, accommodation, air fare ect. was being shouldered by the country host or the principal sponsor of the event. In any circumstances that untoward incident happen to Hyun Joong, the principal sponsor is fully responsible for his over all well-being. And talking about the world tour concert event, an international agent handles this matter, they are the ones who are in search of host country and sponsorship for the event.
As we observe, every time Hyun Joong travels he’s always given VIP treatment from airline, hotel accommodation, escorts and security are being provided being a part of agreement between KeyEast and the sponsoring country. Hyun Joong considering to be a star, bring with him his entourage, the KeyEast staffs, on official visit he’s with his personal body-guard and manager. In performing a show this includes his dancers, stylist and staffs. These matter included in a package deal between KeyEast and sponsor.
Last year, after Hyun Joong did Playful Kiss, KeyEast made the arrangement to let Hyun Joong participate in a charity launching soccer games. It was indeed a good arrangement, since Hyun Joong had a time to play his favorite ball game which is soccer, basically an exercise which was also one of his exposure. At the same time he was already preparing for his first solo album. Hyun Joong may had experience the stress in album preparation but he was given certain period to play ball as his relaxation. We see here a good balance in his schedule.
In the past, Kpop and their agents do experience problems that lead both parties to the court to decide, it happens specially if artists are being aggravated from their privileges and some do experience problems between agent and their client that in the end the artist’s career is being affected. And there are also case of name reclaim, that idol group has to go to court just to reclaim their group name. This also happen in the world of entertainment industry.
I think Hyun Joong is in a good hands, as far as KeyEast plans for Hyun Joong is concern, let’s just entrust that to his agent. We’ll just be here doing our daily routines and I think it’s better to be missing him that makes our love pander!! Let’s give Hyun Joong some time for himself as he is on the process of learning. And if there may be changes or adjustments that KeyEast has to make concerning Hyun Joong, and so be it. It doesn’t matter, anyway whatever we are waiting for, we all know it’s worth the waiting. You know the guy is just full of surprises every time he’s out there.
I can conclude that Hyun Joong had made the right choice of agent, a reputable agent company, professional, capable of managing Hyun Joong’s career, and trust worthy. As I have written in my article Protegé, Hyun Joong was given the liberty by KeyEast in creating his dream music, which is a rare privilege provided to a rookie. And Hyun Joong had proven himself to be more than deserving. As we have seen and observe how KeyEast has been taking care of Hyun Joong providing VIP treatment in any country he visits, and most important is Hyun Joong’s protection.
Hyun Joong had learned a lot from his struggles over the past years since he started to be in the lime light. He was a young rookie back then, that he has only his dream in mind, that he would care less about hardship. Agents should also be considerate of the human capability of any artists. If machine can malfunction due to over used, what more to human being? An agent tend to lose more than it gain if artists are not well taken care of.
Hyun Joong is so smart to choose the right people to work with and KeyEast had chosen a more than deserving artist and someone they can always be proud of, to represent the company. Hyun Joong had proven his ability and capability to conquer the hearts of many around the world. Kim hyun Joong is a gem to KeyEast, and they do acknowledge to this fact by providing what Hyun Joong deserves to have.
These are just a few responsibilities of both artist and his agent, it may vary from different countries but basically these are just a few matters that may be applied. These are just a few within my knowledge and experience working in entertainment agent for years that I can share with you. And with that, we had another day of accomplishment with our daily dose of information about Kim Hyun Joong and KeyEast as his agent. As my parting shots
Kim Hyun Joong had been through a lot of struggles in the past. At this point of his life, it is just right to provide him a cushion of comfort while he works hard to prove himself… LazerKim here writing.
Photo credits as tagged, thanks. Photo below fr Bliz thanks.
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