WBW: Idols Still in the Game

I’ve sometimes used this column as a forum to lament the fact that I’m getting older and writing about past K-poppers might be “way back” to some of you, but for me, all of this seems like it was only yesterday. Just the other day I had an epiphany; instead of being sad that I’m getting fatter and wrinklier, I should be excited about the future as I get wiser and more distinguished and have the chance to take that next step in life. In that spirit, today’s Way Back Wednesday will feature old school idols who took that next step in their career and are still a major influence on this generation of K-pop. Whether they’re running their own company or producing our favorite tunes, they are still influencing what we listen to and are still very much in the game.

Rain/Tony An/Andy Lee/Eric Mun

While each of the members of this group are still active in the music industry, it’s their roles as producers and company heads that have them on this distinguished list. Rain formed J.Tune Entertainment in 2007 and helped create MBLAQ (J.Tunes has now merged with JYP Entertainment). Tony An created TN Entertainment and while his boy band Smash weren’t so smashing, the company is home to some of Korea’s most popular stars. Andy, under the roof of T.O.P Entertainment produced the successful group Teen Top, and Eric tried his hand at the world of girl groups with Stellar under his Top Class Entertainment and is also co-CEO of Shinhwa Company with Lee Min Woo. There are so many small labels in Korea fighting it out for a small piece of the pie but it’s good to see past idols leveraging their experiences to help the current crop of K-pop stars.

Kangta

Since we just mentioned the 3rd longest tenured member of SM Entertainment, we might as well mention the 2nd and that would be former H.O.T lead singer and current ‘The Voice Korea’ judge, Kangta. Like Boa, I’m sure that his impact on today’s K-pop industry probably started about seventeen years ago as the lead singer of the ever popular H.O.T. Who knows how many singers began their dream while watching Kangta on TV, hoping one day to be on that stage. Kangta also holds a director position at SM Entertainment and while that may or may not be a formality, there’s no question that his influence is still being felt and that his role as a mentor to the younger generation can only be a good thing.

Cr:http://www.allkpop.com