On the third Friday of July 2019, Stock shares of Korea’s entertainment agencies’ (both former and current) owners have dropped approximately 30 percent, as the industry struggles with a long list of scandals, and due to Korea’s current political and economic dispute with Japan.
The combined value of stocks held by seven of the country’s top entertainment agency owners fell a drastic 28.7 percent to 512 billion won ($435.5 million) as of July 19th, which is 41.5 percent less from the start of 2019.
Former CEO of YG Entertainment Yang Hyun-suk experienced the most decline, with his value of stocks vastly dropping 41.1 percent to 93 billion won from last year’s 158.5 billion won – resulting in the company’s most serious crisis since the day of its founding. Many investors are blaming Yang and Seungri for the downfall.
Back in June, Yang stepped down as the CEO – due to various allegations of drug use, soliciting prostitution, tax evasion and etc., – but holds a 16.12 percent stake in the agency, making him still the largest shareholder of the company.
The value of shares owned by SM. Entertainment’s founder Lee Soo-man also dropped 29.4 percent to 162.7 billion won. (Lee owns a 19.04 percent stake.) While JYP Entertainment’s founder Park Jin-young’s holdings fell 29.9 percent to 133.3 billion won from what it used to be worth 193 billion won.
Likewise, stock prices of both SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment have hit low at 29.7 and 29.9 percent respectively, compared to the beginning of year 2019.
Last year of 2018, Japanese investors accounted for more than 15 percent of the total market share for the three major Korean agencies. Thus, Korean pop artists have been able to hold concerts and release albums in Japan for a great number of years.
For the good of all the supporters involved in fandoms, company or businesswise that may be affected by these recent scandals and fiasco, we wish to see this situation to somehow elevate and improve in the near future.
J. Chung.
User Review
( votes)Related Articles
Sixteen Years of Celebration: Honoring the Tradition of Korean Festival Houston
Courtesy of KFestHouston on Instagram Did you know that there are well over a dozen Korean interest festivals across the United States annually? It’s certainly a positive tradition and something that contributed to my growing interest in South... Read More
5 Best Historical Kdramas
Embark on an epic journey through five of the most compelling historical K-dramas. These popular series blend intense political drama and sweeping romance with fresh fantasy elements like time-travel. Prepare to be captivated by the fate of kings,... Read More
5 Best School K-Dramas
School settings in Korean dramas have always provided the perfect stage for youthful romance, intense rivalry, and thought-provoking social commentary. Over the years, several titles have captured both domestic and global audiences, blending... Read More
Who is Cortis? – HYBE’s Latest Boy Group
CORTIS is a newly debuted 5-member K-pop boy group under BigHit Music (HYBE) that launched with the pre-single “GO!” and officially debuted on August 18, 2025, with the digital single “What You Want.” The group name — short for “Color... Read More
Spoiler-Free Review: KPOPPED – A Cross-Cultural Collaboration at Its Core
PSY performance on the KPOPPED stage in Seoul, S. Korea Courtesy of KPOPPED and Apple TV+ Apple TV+’s KPOPPED premiered on August 29, 2025, as a celebration of crosscultural music, bringing together K-pop groups, Western music icons, and fresh... Read More
G-Dragon 2025 World Tour: The “Superman” Has Returned to the United States
G-Dragon performs onstage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Navada Courtesy of GALAXY CORPORATION Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of KCrush. On... Read More
KPOP CLUB NIGHT UPCOMING DATES
Ready to lose your voice again? Thought so! Grab your tickets and block off the dates, we’re coming back to bring you together again! KPOP CLUB NIGHT UPCOMING DATES SEPT—-> DEC 2025 Sept 5 – Los Angeles (18+) – DJ... Read More
Sipping Through Seoul (Again!): 2025 Seoul Wine & Spirits Expo
The Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo (SIWSE) returned to COEX Exhibition Center June 26-28, 2025 and Kcrush was able to gather amongst professionals and enthusiasts and enjoy an easier-to-navigate experience once again. The annual event... Read More
Beyond K-Pop – Korea’s Growing Partnership with Africa
Beyond K-Pop and KDramas, Korea is shaping global development by building strong ties with Africa. Over the years, Korea has worked alongside several African countries to offer a lending hand is various sectors including health. Below are some of... Read More
Leave a Reply