Soyou Announces Contract With New Entertainment Agency BIG PLANET MADE After Leaving STARSHIP

South Korean singer Soyou has officially signed with startup entertainment agency Big Planet Made (BPM). CEO Jae-ho announced that the company has signed an exclusive contract with Soyou, making her the BPM's first artist.

Jae-Ho added that in the future the agency will produce and promote talented rookie groups with a systematic system and "grow them into an entertainment company with our own story in a new way."

Soyou posted the news on her Instagram account along with photos she took with her new agency. The singer said that after leaving STARSHIP Entertainment, with whom she had a long association, she has now joined BPM Entertainment. She asked her fans to continue to support her and she will make a comeback with various activities.

Soyou officially parted ways with STARSHIP Entertainment on September 8 after a journey of 11 long years together. The agency soon released a statement, which said, "We had long and in-depth discussions with Soyou, but after final discussions, it was decided not to renew the contract. We inform you that the exclusive contract with Soyou is terminated." 

The agency also expressed gratitude to the singer who started with them as a trainee, then as a member of SISTAR, and going on to become a solo artist. STARSHIP also said they respected the singer's decision though the contract was terminated and supported Soyou's new start. 

The singer has enjoyed a successful career as a vocalist. Soyou made her debut as a member of the K-pop girl group SISTAR in 2010. The band saw a jump in their popularity after the release of their hit single So Cool in 2011. After the group disbanded in 2017, she focused on a solo career and has enjoyed success as both a part of SISTAR and as a solo vocalist. 

Soyou, whose real name is Kang Ji-Hyun, was a licensed hairdresser and worked in a beauty salon before making her debut as a singer. She was originally supposed to make her debut as a 4Minute member. The singer, however, auditioned for STARSHIP Entertainment and sang a cover of Navi's On The Road. 

Big Planet Made signed Soyou and other influential K-pop singers to produce albums full-fledged. The agency has chosen talented people from the industry to form a team. The agency said that though a new entertainment company at the moment, in the past year they have already established a solid production system. BPM will continue to focus on growth by generously investing in artists who have the same vision as direction as the agency.

Photo: Koalacsh/ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International