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Filling in the fans: How a former HYBE studio head pioneered K-pop's self-made content

Published: 13 Mar. 2025, 12:53

A scene from the first episode of ″Run BTS,″ self-made content on BTS's YouTube channel Bangtan TV [BANGTAN TV]

A scene from tvN show “You Quiz on the Block” in 2023, where BTS’s V says one of the key reasons behind the group’s rise to global stardom is the group's self-produced content, or “jakeon.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]

At the beginning of the tvN show “You Quiz on the Block” in 2023, BTS’s V reflected on one of the key reasons behind the group’s rise to global stardom: its self-produced content, or “jakeon.” This coined word is short for jache content, meaning self-produced content.

“When we first debuted, we created so much content,” V said on the talk show. “Back then, no one was really posting behind-the-scenes videos on YouTube, but we tried everything.”

BTS is now a global phenomenon. But during the band's early days, when it struggled to appear on major broadcast stations, BTS launched its own YouTube channel, Bangtan TV. There, the members uploaded vlogs, radio shows, mukbang (eating shows), travelogues and practice videos — content that later served as gateway to their global fandom.

Bang Woo-jung, the CEO of Letopia Salon [LETOPIA SALON]

Bang Woo-jung, the CEO of Letopia Salon, is credited with pioneering the structured approach to self-produced content for K-pop artists. In 2010, she joined BigHit Entertainment, which is now HYBE, and worked on creating content for boy band 2AM. With a background in design and video production, and prior experience as an assistant director in music variety shows, Bang was able to utilize her expertise to establish such self-produced content in the industry.

Unlike traditional behind-the-scenes videos, Bang's self-produced content for K-pop acts follows a structured, season-based format. Rather than focusing on broader entertainment value, her priority has been capturing the minor, genuine moments of artists. Content like “BTS Festa,” which gets created to mark the band's debut anniversary, and “Run BTS,” a weekly variety show on BTS’s YouTube channel, Bangtan TV, were all conceptualized under her direction.

After BigHit Entertainment expanded as HYBE, Bang became the head of the creative studio at HYBE Media Studio, overseeing content for all artists under the label. Her role was to transform self-produced content into a profitable business model.

After nearly 15 years at HYBE, Bang thought it was time to establish her own company. She left HYBE in September 2024 and founded Letopia Salon in the same year. The company's co-founders are Kim Soo-rin, who was the vice president of HYBE Labels Japan, and Park Joon-soo, who was a senior professional at HYBE Original Content Studio. She also called Noh Min-mi, a casting director who Bang had previously worked with to create 2AM and BTS's self-produced content projects at HYBE.

Letopia Salon operates as both a video production company and an artist management agency. The company is currently handling outsourced production for “Run Jin” (2024-), which features BTS's Jin. It's like a spinoff of “Run BTS,” which she did in 2022. She also plans to debut a new boy band within the next one or two years.

“There are so many things I want to do,” she said in a recent interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate with the Korea JoongAng Daily, at Letopia Salon's office in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul.

Though Bang registered the company's establishment last October, she said she's "only just getting started.”

“The BTS members have been showing a lot of support for my new company,” she said. “While it’s still unclear how our content production contract with HYBE will evolve, we’ve agreed to stay in touch and provide advice whenever needed.”

Bang said HYBE's chairman, Bang Si-hyuk, also offered his encouragement. While he regretted seeing her leave, she said he understood the motivation behind her decision.

A poster for ″2024 Festa,″ featuring a collection of BTS's photographs taken every year on its debut anniversary day [BIG HIT MUSIC]

“I wasn’t enjoying work as much as I did in the early BigHit days,” she said. “I wanted to pursue something of my own and have fun doing it.”

Because Bang Si-hyuk and Bang Woo-jung share the same last name, she said she's often mistaken by fans as a relative of HYBE's founder Bang Si-hyuk.

“I never publicly addressed those misunderstandings because I wanted to stay focused on creating great content,” she said. “But now, with trainees preparing for debut and a company to lead, I felt it was time to step forward.”

The name Letopia Salon, which she named herself, is a nod to her early career experiences.

“When I joined BigHit, no one told me to work hard — I just did,” she said. “I found fulfillment in seeing my efforts translate into results, and I loved the experience of working toward a shared goal with the company and the artists. That was my version of utopia.”

The name “Letopia” is a portmanteau, using the words "realize and “utopia.”

“It represents a place where dreams are turned into reality, while 'Salon' reflects a gathering space for creativity and collaboration,” she said.

Leaving HYBE wasn’t an impulsive decision for Bang.

“I had been subconsciously thinking about doing my own thing for a while,” she said. “I was also motivated by younger colleagues who saw me as a role model. This industry thrives on passion; if you’re not enjoying it, you can’t last. That’s why I ultimately decided to leave. Of course, I had concerns. For this industry, you can't start off without cash. I carefully explored my options. I'm still in talks with investors.”

One of Bang's goals that stayed on top of her to-do list after establishing the company was to start a boy band.

“I was initially interested in launching a girl group, but I am more confident with boy bands,” she said. “Boy bands tend to build strong relationships with fans, and jakeon plays a crucial role in that.”

"It’s difficult to satisfy both fans and the general public, but I have a good grasp of what makes content truly enjoyable,” Bang added.

“K-pop is essentially a collection of small content pieces. In our meetings, we constantly say, ‘Let’s create something fun for ourselves,’ and we never run out of ideas."

BY HWANG JEE-YOUNG [[email protected]]