Han Sung-soo (music executive)

SM Entertainment

At the age of 30, Han left professional dance to pursue a career in the popular-entertainment industry. He applied for management positions at several agencies, including Daesung Entertainment now known as DSP Media and SM Entertainment, but initially received no response. After repeatedly visiting SM's offices, he personally approached the company's founder, Lee Soo-man, and was hired as a manager.^[3]

At SM, Han worked in the management of BoA, including during the expansion of her career into Japan. The position gave him experience in artist management and direct exposure to the Japanese music industry.^[2] Han later said that SM's strategy of viewing Asia as a broader market, rather than focusing exclusively on South Korea, influenced his own approach to artist development and international promotion.^[2][4]

Early artists and Pledis Entertainment

After leaving SM Entertainment, Han participated in the development of S-Blush, a Korean-American girl group created as an overseas-market project by CJ Music. The group's original lineup included Son Dam-bi and Kahi, who trained in South Korea and the United States. Its single, "It's My Life", reached number two on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 2007.^[5][6] Han later described the project as formative experience in producing artists for overseas markets.^[3]

In 2007, Han founded Pledis Entertainment, with Son and Kahi as its initial trainees.^[3][7] The company initially operated without a dedicated office and maintained only a practice room. Han said that he prioritized investment in training because he intended to establish a long-term artist-development system rather than focus solely on producing an individual singer.^[3]

Son Dam-bi debuted as Pledis's first recording artist in 2007. Han subsequently developed the girl group After School, which debuted in January 2009 under the leadership of Kahi.^[8]

After School's subunit Orange Caramel debuted in 2010 with a contrasting musical and visual identity characterized by unconventional concepts and choreography.^[1]

Han later oversaw the production of NU'EST, Pledis's first boy group, which debuted in March 2012. He emphasized storytelling choreography and sought to give the group a distinct identity that could appeal to international audiences.^[1][9]

Seventeen and later productions

Han developed Seventeen and served as the group's executive producer, overseeing its creative direction. Kim Yeon-soo, who joined Pledis Entertainment in 2012, was also involved in bringing the group to debut and later led its expansion into the Japanese market.^[4][10]

The members underwent a multiyear training process as Pledis worked to identify their individual strengths and establish the group's identity. He said that Pledis's role was to identify each trainee's individual strengths and work with the members to refine the group's identity and creative direction.^[4][11]

He described the his role as helping the members express their own ideas and strengths rather than imposing a separate identity on them. Seventeen's involvement in songwriting, choreography and other aspects of production subsequently became a central feature of the group's public identity.^[12][4]

Under Han's leadership, Pledis launched the ten-member girl group Pristin in March 2017 with the extended play Hi! Pristin. The group disbanded in May 2019, two years after its debut.^[13][14]

From the group's debut in 2018 until April 2020, Han served as the general producer of the project girl group Iz*One. He oversaw the production of its first three Korean releases, Color*Iz, Heart*Iz and Bloom*Iz.^[15]

Han later led the production of Sparkling Blue, the debut extended play by Pledis's boy group TWS, which was released in January 2024. TWS was the company's first new boy group since Seventeen's debut nine years earlier.^[16]

Hybe

Before Pledis Entertainment's acquisition, Han and Sony subsidiary Solasia Entertainment each held 50 percent of the company.^[17] In May 2020, Big Hit Entertainment, later renamed Hybe Corporation, acquired a controlling interest in Pledis.^[18] Following the acquisition, Hybe held 85 percent of the company, while Han retained 10 percent and Sony Music Solutions retained 5 percent.^[17]

Han stepped down as Pledis's representative director in March 2022 but remained an inside director, shareholder and the principal executive responsible for its creative production. He subsequently used the professional title “Master Professional”.^[17][19]

During the first half of 2024, Hybe purchased a further 1,204 Pledis shares, equivalent to a 5 percent interest, for approximately ₩20.8 billion under a shareholder put-option agreement. The transaction increased Hybe's ownership from 85 to 90 percent. Hybe did not disclose the seller, although financial reporting identified Han as the likely seller because the interest covered by his put-option arrangement decreased from 10 to 5 percent.^[20]

ABD

In May 2026, Hybe launched ABD, a new label specializing in girl groups. Pledis Entertainment owns 85 percent of the company, while Han owns the remaining 15 percent.^[21] His minority interest is governed by a shareholder agreement under which the Hybe group granted a put option over the entire 15 percent stake and holds a conditional call option to acquire it. The agreement also includes rights concerning first refusal and joint or compelled sales, and restricts Han from transferring the shares for a specified period.^[21] Noh Ji-won, formerly head of artist planning at Pledis, was appointed CEO of ABD. In July, ABD introduced its inaugural seven-member girl group, TUIDE, with Han serving as executive producer of its inaugural group, overseeing its music, concepts and performances.^[22]

IZ*ONE copyright registrations

In May 2020, Han was criticized after it was reported from Dispatch that songwriting credits for eight songs by Iz*One had been registered under the pseudonym “SO JAY”, which belonged to his wife. Pledis Entertainment stated that Han had personally participated in the songs but had chosen to register the credits under his wife's name.^[26]

Han acknowledged that receiving royalties under his wife's name had been inappropriate and apologized, stating that he had wanted recognition and compensation for his participation in the music. The registrations drew further criticism because he had separately been compensated for serving as Iz*One's executive producer.^[27]

In June 2020, Pledis announced that Han had relinquished his rights to all eight songs and would return the royalties received under his wife's name to the original songwriters. At the time of the announcement, SO JAY had already been removed from the credits of seven songs, and Pledis stated that the remaining registration would also be withdrawn.^[27][28]

Listicles