Artist Company
Entertainment company responsible for production, distribution, and broadcasting.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | $13.0m | Early VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Artist Company is a South Korean entertainment agency established in May 2016 by veteran actors and long-time friends, Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung. The formation of the company stemmed from their shared vision to create a rational and systematic agency for actors. This venture represents a significant move by two of South Korea's most prominent actors to leverage their extensive industry experience, not just to further their own careers but also to cultivate a supportive environment for other artists. The company operates primarily in the talent management sector within the vibrant South Korean entertainment market. Its core business involves managing the careers of its roster of actors and actresses, negotiating contracts for film, television, and endorsement deals, and guiding their professional development. The client base is diverse, encompassing major film production houses, television broadcasting networks, and advertising agencies seeking to collaborate with the agency's talent.
The agency boasts a roster of high-profile and emerging actors, including the founders themselves, alongside names like Park So-dam, Yeom Jeong-ah, Ahn Sung-ki, and Lim Ji-yeon. The services provided are comprehensive, covering all facets of an actor's career. This includes securing roles, managing public relations, and exploring international opportunities. Highlighting its global ambitions, co-founder Lee Jung-jae, following the international success of "Squid Game," signed with the American talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for global representation, while maintaining his affiliation with Artist Company in Korea. This dual representation strategy is designed to facilitate his expansion into the global market as an actor, producer, and director. The company also engages in content production through its subsidiary, Artist Studio, which has co-produced projects like "The Silent Sea" and "Hunt," the latter being Lee Jung-jae's directorial debut. This vertical integration allows the company to create its own intellectual property and provide starring vehicles for its talent. Beyond entertainment, the company has also ventured into other commercial areas, such as the men's cosmetic brand, MONSIEUR J.
Significant corporate developments include a substantial investment of 18 billion KRW from Maekyung Media Group in April 2025, aimed at strengthening the production of K-content for a global audience. This partnership is set to establish an 'all-in-one system' for producing and broadcasting new shows. Previously, in 2021, the company entered into discussions for a merger and acquisition with Com2uS and WYSIWYG Studios, although Com2uS later withdrew from the acquisition in 2022. In a strategic move in late 2023, Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung became major shareholders in Wider Planet, a KOSDAQ-listed advertising company, which was subsequently renamed "Artist United" in March 2024 with both founders appointed as inside directors, sparking speculation about a potential merger between the two entities.
Keywords: talent management, Korean entertainment, actor agency, Lee Jung-jae, Jung Woo-sung, artist management, South Korean film industry, K-drama, content production, Park So-dam, Yeom Jeong-ah, Artist Studio, Hunt movie, The Silent Sea, Creative Artists Agency, Korean actors, entertainment business, talent representation, Ahn Sung-ki, Lim Ji-yeon, MONSIEUR J, Wider Planet, Artist United, Maekyung Media Group