Management Soop

Management Soop, formally Management SOOP Corporation, is a South Korean talent-management company focused primarily on actors and actresses. The agency was established on April 19, 2011, by Kim Jang-kyun, a former executive or manager associated with SidusHQ and N.O.A. Entertainment, which later became associated with Fantagio. Its formation was followed by the transfer of several established performers from N.O.A. Entertainment, including Gong Yoo, Lim Soo-jung, Gong Hyo-jin, and Jung Il-woo, helping the new agency begin operations with a recognizable entertainment roster. The company’s core business is the professional representation and career management of screen performers. Its activities include artist management, project selection and negotiation, public relations, scheduling, commercial and advertising representation, and support for film, television, streaming, and other media work. Unlike a diversified entertainment conglomerate whose principal assets may include labels, studios, or distribution platforms, Management Soop is principally identified with the development and representation of individual acting talent. Over time, the agency became associated with prominent Korean performers such as Jeon Do-yeon, Gong Yoo, Gong Hyo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Jae-wook, Seo Hyun-jin, Choi Woo-shik, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bae Suzy, and Nam Ji-hyun, among others. The roster has changed as contracts have ended or artists have moved to other agencies, so historical and current artist lists should be distinguished. The agency has also represented performers across different career stages, from established film and television stars to younger actors and actresses. In June 2018, Kakao M announced partnerships involving Management Soop, BH Entertainment, J.Wide Company, and Ready Entertainment. The arrangement was presented in the context of strengthening Kakao’s entertainment capabilities and supporting the international expansion of Korean content. Kakao M subsequently became part of Kakao Entertainment, and Management Soop is now described as a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment within the broader Kakao group. Management Soop’s positioning is therefore based on specialist actor representation, long-term artist careers, and connection to the wider Korean content ecosystem. Its association with Kakao Entertainment provides a corporate and content-industry platform while the agency continues to operate as a talent-management brand. Public reference material does not establish a separate consumer product portfolio, publicly disclosed revenue figures, or a stock-market listing for Management Soop itself.

Management Soop was founded on April 19, 2011, by Kim Jang-kyun. Before creating the agency, Kim had worked with SidusHQ and N.O.A. Entertainment, the company later associated with Fantagio. The new company entered the market with a notable initial group of performers. Gong Yoo, Lim Soo-jung, Gong Hyo-jin, and Jung Il-woo left N.O.A. Entertainment at the end of April 2011 and joined Management Soop. Their move followed a period of approximately two years and six months with N.O.A., beginning in October 2008, and gave the newly created agency an immediate presence in Korea’s film and television sector. The agency developed as an actors-management business rather than as a conventional music label or mass-market consumer brand. Its role has centered on representing performers, coordinating their professional activities, supporting career development, and connecting them with film, television, streaming, advertising, and other media projects. Its roster has included both major stars and emerging performers, with actors and actresses working across Korean screen entertainment. During its development, Management Soop became associated with performers including Gong Yoo, Gong Hyo-jin, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Jae-wook, Nam Joo-hyuk, Seo Hyun-jin, Bae Suzy, Nam Ji-hyun, Kim Min-ju, and others. Historical rosters also include artists who later departed, such as Choi Woo-shik and Jung Yu-mi. Because representation agreements change over time, published lists from different periods may not describe the same active roster. A significant corporate development came on June 27, 2018, when Kakao M discussed partnerships with several entertainment agencies, including Management Soop and BH Entertainment, as well as J.Wide Company and advertising-model casting company Ready Entertainment. The partnerships were framed around strengthening content capabilities and helping Korean entertainment reach global markets. Kakao M later became part of Kakao Entertainment, and Management Soop is now identified as a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment, a Kakao company. Management Soop’s history consequently reflects two related trends in the Korean entertainment industry: the growth of specialized agencies built around actor representation and the consolidation of such agencies within larger content groups. The company remains known primarily for its talent-management function, while its corporate affiliation connects it to Kakao’s broader entertainment infrastructure. Publicly available reference material does not provide a verified founding financial profile, a stock listing for Management Soop, or a detailed account of its internal executive succession.

1. 2018Kakao M partnership announcement

   Kakao M announced partnerships involving Management Soop and other entertainment agencies to support content expansion and internationalization.

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2. 2011Management Soop founded

   Kim Jang-kyun established Management Soop on April 19, 2011.

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3. 2011Initial artists join the new agency

   Gong Yoo, Lim Soo-jung, Gong Hyo-jin, and Jung Il-woo moved from N.O.A. Entertainment to Management Soop shortly after its formation.

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4. Integration into the Kakao Entertainment group

   Following Kakao M’s later transition into Kakao Entertainment, Management Soop became identified as a Kakao Entertainment subsidiary.

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A specialist South Korean actors agency combining individual career management with access to Kakao Entertainment’s broader content ecosystem.

• Actor representationTalent management2011

  Management Soop’s principal offering is professional representation for actors and actresses. The agency manages engagements, contracts, schedules, publicity, and career planning across film, television, streaming, advertising, and related media work. Its business is organized around the long-term development and protection of individual performers rather than the sale of a packaged consumer product.

• 2018Partnership with Kakao M and other entertainment companiesStrategy

  Kakao M was seeking stronger entertainment-industry capabilities and greater international reach for Korean content.

  What changed. Kakao M announced partnerships involving Management Soop, BH Entertainment, J.Wide Company, and Ready Entertainment.

  Aftermath. Management Soop subsequently became associated with Kakao Entertainment, which was formed through Kakao’s later entertainment-business consolidation.

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• 2018Kakao M announced partnerships involving Management Soop

  Kakao M announced partnerships with Management Soop, BH Entertainment, J.Wide Company, and Ready Entertainment as part of efforts to expand its entertainment and international content capabilities.

  M&A
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• 2011Management Soop established by Kim Jang-kyun

  Kim Jang-kyun founded Management Soop on April 19, 2011, after prior work with SidusHQ and N.O.A. Entertainment.

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• 2011Several performers moved from N.O.A. Entertainment to the new agency

  Gong Yoo, Lim Soo-jung, Gong Hyo-jin, and Jung Il-woo joined the newly established Management Soop after leaving N.O.A. Entertainment.

  Leadership change
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1. Management Soop