[Interview] "Actors in the Multi Era" - Saram Entertainment's CEO Soyoung Lee on the Need for Change in Korean Management

In times of crisis, opportunities must be anticipated, and when opportunities arise, the power of crises should not be underestimated. Saram Entertainment, along with its CEO Soyoung Lee, has been at the forefront of the K-content industry, which has now established itself as a global cultural phenomenon. Over the years, they have turned crises into opportunities and continued to achieve significant results.

Two years after Hoyeon became a global sensation with Netflix's "Squid Game," Saram Entertainment has supported its talents on the global stage. These include Yeri Han, who won the Best Actress award at the Golden List Awards for "MINARI," Minha Kim, who made a mark as Sunja in Apple TV+'s "Pachinko," and Inji Jeong and Yuna, who also gained recognition from "Pachinko." Other notable mentions are Minyeong Choi from the Netflix series "XO, Kitty" and Park Gyu Young, who is set to appear in "Squid Game 2." The company has dedicatedly backed these actors to expand their global presence.

Soyoung Lee, not just a management representative but also an "Artist Branding Director" for 38 prominent Korean actors, including Gong Myoung, Sungkyu Kim, Byun Yohan, Uhm Junghwa, Hanee Lee, and Jinwoong Cho, has recently been honored by The Hollywood Reporter. She was named one of the '35 Most Powerful Women in International Television' in 2023, a recognition of her influence and capabilities.

The Hollywood Reporter noted, "Women are currently active in C-suites of the world's most influential media companies. This list aims to highlight successful women in film, television, and media industries worldwide, providing inspiration for a brighter future." They praised Soyoung Lee as the “one who discovered the most popular young global stars in the Korean industry.”

In an interview with JTBC Entertainment News, Lee expressed her joy and honor at being included in such a prestigious list. She remarked, "It's all about people. In the AI era, people are the only hope for competitiveness." She expressed a desire to see more women gain influence in the media industry and committed to being an inspiring role model.

Lee has consistently provided insights into the industry's changing landscape and Saram Entertainment's current status and future vision. She emphasized the importance of authenticity concerning 'people,' which is the core of Saram Entertainment's standards and values.

The trend in domestic management is shifting beyond merely managing artists to branding them and even venturing into production. Saram Entertainment has been steadily engaging in various social contributions and environmental protection activities, such as the G-Cinema projects for diverse films and environmental campaigns. They have also participated in producing the Wavve Original film 'DEADMAN' and co-producing the TVing Original series 'Death Game,' expanding their domain along with their artists. This is a movement built on trust and belief achieved together.

-Recently, you received an honorable mention in The Hollywood Reporter's "35 Most Powerful Women in International Television for 2023."
“I am delighted and honored to be selected for such a meaningful list. The Hollywood Reporter chose this list to highlight and inspire successful women in high executive positions in the global film and television media industry. I was touched by The Hollywood Reporter's deep affection for the industry and thoughtful observation of its leaders.

Ultimately, it’s all about people. Caring for the people you work with and respecting them together is, I believe, the only hope for human competitiveness in the AI era. I hope more women can secure influence in the media industry. I will strive to be a role model. I am also grateful for the new hope and confidence in people.”

-It seems that Saram Entertainment’s growth and the global success of its artists have consistently led to meaningful outcomes.

"While the pandemic had its impact, many things have appeared and vanished suddenly. The pace has become much faster than in the past. We have less time to study information, and the volume is so large that the time to acquire and think has significantly decreased. Organizationally and in terms of collaboration with artists, changes are inevitable. The era we are experiencing now is something that those who design the future had already predicted. Saram Entertainment is pivoting and adapting to changes. We set up artist branding, ensure it fits the present, and then execute the actual work. Many people say we are ahead, but we and Saram Entertainment are living in the present and striving together to do so."

-The interest in K-content and the global market has become so close that it hardly needs mentioning. Saram Entertainment is one of the few companies that has smoothly accepted and matched the pace with proactive preparation. Yet, what is the biggest change you feel organizationally?

"The way we meet has fundamentally changed. Previously, to experience Hollywood or the U.S. market and meet stakeholders, we had to fly there. We had many difficulties with the actors, but now we can proceed sufficiently through video meetings like Zoom. While travel time is saved, decisions are made faster, increasing the workload. The fundamental system of the industry is changing, requiring reform, restructuring, and remodeling, while maintaining existing systems, leading to significant gaps in work scope and quality.”

-As a leader, you must have many concerns.

"Ultimately, a leader must make all decisions. As the work scope has expanded globally, I must comprehensively understand and check the details of any gaps and holes in the processes that the members and artists cannot identify. It is also a significant concern how to reorganize or remodel the existing system. Many large companies have already implemented 'lean organizations' and 'efficient organizations,' contemplating slim yet powerful organizational structures.

For Saram Entertainment, I believe we will be able to operate the desired organization next year, and it is time to execute it. With the global success of actress Hoyeon in 'Squid Game,' we had to dive into global business immediately, gaining a lot of experience in the process. We are trained and making organizational changes, but it is not perfect yet, so we are strategically considering what to add and what to remove."

-There must be changes in partnerships with actors as well.

"Previously, it took a long time to find good projects for actors, build up their filmography into a biography, and brand them. Management was about enhancing the actor’s image to a certain level and increasing their value. Now, the speed has increased so much that we can brand an artist simultaneously as we evaluate them. From the outside, Saram Entertainment still looks like an actor-specialized company, but we are involved in everything from TV series and film content to variety shows, albums, and fan meetings. The insight of artists used to increase their value through art, but now we communicate more closely with artists to brand their value."

-You continue to open new doors in line with the trends of the times.

"It’s no longer about 'finding the audience.' The shift has been made from the audience's perspective to the user's perspective, changing how content is consumed, making 'star quality' even more necessary in the management and entertainment market. Hollywood has long nurtured stars through content. Our music industry has been drawing that picture early on, but it was different for actors. However, now actors can integrate their careers as artists to complete a brand, and the market has opened to commercialize this. With the content distribution market expanding, new stars can shine in various fields. Discovering and partnering with artists who can accompany us is a new challenge."

-Indeed, it has become an era where you never know when, where, or how something will blow up.
"That’s why we must look at the future from the present to understand the present. The typical present is merely a repetition of the past, not the true present. For example, forming and managing a fandom as part of actor branding also requires change. The concept of 'fandom' itself has become a subject of global interest and a trend. Its influence and importance have grown. Idols prepare for at least 5-7 years before debuting and immediately gain fandom. Actors build and build through actual projects, creating loyal fans who want to see their performance and live their lives together, often taking over ten years.

Management of actors involves building trust by highlighting the artist’s inherent charm and potential through good projects. To brand an artist who could blow up at any moment, we invest heavily in ensuring that this trust and branding become outputs over a long time. For example, investing in YouTube as an incubating strategy to further develop talent or partnering with luxury brands for donation campaigns to establish and clearly reveal the artist's brand. We discuss these strategies in depth with the artists and execute them.”

-Recently, Saram Entertainment's official YouTube channel 'Log-in' undertook a project producing collaborative content with global brands and affiliated artists.

"Recently, we collaborated with the global sports brand New Balance on our YouTube channel 'Log-in' to produce video content featuring our actors Gong Myoung and Minyeong Choi. This involves packaging artists to strategically create synergy with brand companies, from planning and production to launch and promote, creating and operating the content. We are producing content that allows both the brand and our own channel to win-win by leveraging the actors' IP.”

-The opinions of the artists you work with must be significant.
리"As mentioned earlier, artist branding is not about products but people, so the artists’ self-awareness, philosophy, agreement, and trust are paramount. Idol companies and actor companies differed in that the music industry had a distribution market and a solid fandom. Content markets also gained power from the strong capital distribution globally, but looking at actress Hoyeon, thanks to the OTT distribution market, our artists can now compete globally, not limited by the previously unfavorable distribution market. They can have global fandoms and promote their performance worldwide. For wise artists, it’s important to consider which era and partners to collaborate with rather than waiting for luck to repeatedly knock.

As a 'branding director' coordinating and directing content across all directions, it would be a lie to say I didn’t feel frustration from the limitations of the distribution market. I always wanted to develop my employees into planners as skilled as music planners. It seems achievable now. Honestly, I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it in my era, but since a new era has opened, regardless of age, I want to brand national-level technicians and work with vibrant actors."

- This year, the actor who made a notable start is undoubtedly Park Gyu Young, joining the mega-hit Netflix series 'Squid Game' Season 2 and becoming a global ambassador for the luxury brand Gucci.

"She is a very smart actress. When I say 'smart actress,' it means understanding the ways of the world beyond just acting well or poorly. Gyu Young seems to fundamentally understand the natural order. She is ethical, sensible, and exhibits an attitude and sense that appeal to the younger generation. She is deep-thinking, making communication with older generations easy. She tries to view every situation objectively. She recognizes the value of opportunities that come her way and has the patience to wait for the right moment. I doubt there is no better condition for star quality."

-Sooyoung Choi recently finished her first fan meeting tour, 'My Muse,' in four Asian countries and five cities. She is a member of Girls Generation but is also building a solid filmography as an actress. She seems to epitomize the multi-entertainer you aim for.

"There are many artists who are building trust as multi-entertainers. Actress Sooyoung Choi, with her distinguished career from Girls' Generation's global activities, has never shown signs of struggle or exhaustion, even in moments that could be extremely taxing both physically and mentally. Her impressive career, skills, and stamina serve as the foundation for her remarkable abilities not only in acting but in various creative endeavors.

No matter how many strategies are proposed, without trust or sufficient stamina, execution is impossible. Due to the processes we have gone through with Sooyoung Choi, we have never doubted her trust or stamina. We have only had deep discussions and executed plans. Therefore, she was able to create the global fan meeting, proposed right after her project ended, with resilience and dedication. The fandom of Girls Generation has been a great support for us, and preparing for their meeting was precious. The artist's genuine care for her fans was fully reflected in the fan meeting.

-Having a diverse age range and wide spectrum of actors is also a strength.

"Evaluating the individual abilities or qualities of actors is not something I can do, but our standard during contract negotiations is that we want people who motivate each other. Relationships that provide positive influence are desirable; we do not want relationships that cause harm. Positive and negative energies can sometimes help each other. We hope that the energy we have will harmonize."

-Human relationships are known to be the most difficult and sensitive issue to understand and execute.

“I believe that good and bad always co-exist. If you try to take only the good, you end up with nothing. This is my philosophy and the nature of the world. 'When something good comes in, something bad also comes in'—they exist with the same volume. So, even when something good happens, I don’t get overly excited and always prepare for the risks. This is especially true for human relationships, which are even more challenging and difficult. Because of this, our employees go through a lot. Because as a leader, instead of celebrating, I worry about risks with the same volume even during moments of celebration. (laughs)”

-It's often referred to as the ‘law of conservation of mass.’

“We are people who write stories of growth both in reality and within our works. Growth comes when a crisis hits. While it's true that facing a major crisis can be frightening, crises are inevitable for humans and they are what our stories are about. Additionally, our job is to restore and reorganize the system according to the situation, whether it's a good or bad event. When there's a surge of interest in an artist, the number of offers we receive is probably beyond imagination. Clearing each one in a positive direction is our expertise. Having a global artist at Saram Entertainment is both a major crisis and an opportunity. If we fail to create proper branding in the worldwide market, we will sink beneath the surface.

-Speaking of the domestic content market, the film industry is in an unprecedented crisis.

“It has become a reality that we cannot ignore the shift to different platforms, and serious consideration is needed. Cinemas are facilities that people must visit. However, today's audience enjoys movies outside of these facilities. While it may sound abstract and obvious, creating content that keeps the audience engaged is paramount. Gone are the days of making a film and then pleading, 'Please love our movie!' A massive tectonic shift has occurred, much like the extinction of the dinosaurs.

They say that growth opportunities come during crises. I believe that the film industry is experiencing another phase of growth during this transitional period. Recently, I visited the Busan International Film Festival and was surprised by the number of new production companies that have emerged. When everyone faces a disaster together, no one considers the situation a 'failure.' Since the anticipated future has become reality faster than expected, we need to act quickly.”

-It is also true that this is the first time facing such a challenge.

“How much have audiences loved Korean content over the years? As we consume and solve the backlog of content accumulated over the years, we need to accept audience feedback objectively. Forcing our perspective on the audience is meaningless. If we provide solid stories and content, our discerning audience will accept it.

-We cannot overstate the importance of quality.
“For the past 10 to 15 years, I’ve been attending international film festivals and having business meetings with global stakeholders. Their attitude towards Koreans back then was...(laughs). But now, the fact that even a Korean is speaking Korean is viewed positively. While earning high ratings from domestic audiences is a priority, the global stage is paying attention to K-content. Naturally, we need to produce content that meets that level of expectation. If we do, investment will come naturally. The high expectations for K-content mean that satisfaction levels will influence investor attitudes. The best solution is to release quality content when we are in the spotlight.

- How are Saram Entertainment's production projects going? You were preparing for a global project.
“We are meticulously preparing. However, the concept of 'global' has become meaningless. Since K-content automatically attracts global interest upon release, we are simply preparing 'content.' As the methods of user and content consumption are somewhat established, we are putting effort into reorganizing and refining our content.”