Stocks held by K-pop agency owners plummet

SEOUL — The value of stocks owned by both former and current entertainment agency owners in South Korea have dropped nearly 30 percent compared to last year, data showed Sunday, as the industry struggles to cope with a slew of scandals as well as trade tensions between Korea and Japan, a key market.

According to conglomerate research firm Chaebul.com, the combined value of stocks held by seven most stock-rich entertainment agency owners fell 28.7 percent to 512 billion won ($435.5 million) as of Friday.

Former CEO and chief producer of YG Entertainment Yang Hyun-suk saw the steepest decline, with the value of his stock holdings dropping 41.1 percent to 93 billion won, from last year’s 158.5 billion won.

Yang stepped down from leading YG Entertainment in June — after its artists were mired in an industry-wide K-pop scandal, including allegations of drug use and prostitution — but the former CEO still holds a 16.12 percent stake in the agency, making him the largest shareholder.

YG’s share price ended at 27,800 won Friday, which is 41.5 percent lower from the beginning of the year.

SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man. Yonhap via The Korea Herald

The value of shares held by S.M. Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man dropped 29.4 percent in the same period to 162.7 billion won. Lee owns a 19.04 percent stake in the agency named after him.

For JYP Entertainment founder and Chief Communications Officer Park Jin-young, the value of his stock holdings fell 29.9 percent to 133.3 billion won from 193 billion won.

Stock prices of SM and JYP have fallen 29.7 percent and 29.9 percent, respectively since the beginning of the year.

Last year, Japan accounted for more than 15 percent of the total market share for all three major agencies.

K-pop artists hold concerts and release several albums in Japan annually, since the neighboring country grew into a stable market nearly a decade ago.

“Due to heightening political and economic dispute with Japan, valuation of firms in the entertainment industry have been plummeting,” Lee Ki-hoon, analyst at Hana Financial Investment said.

“It seems the comeback of major artists slated in the near-future will not be able to lift (the dampened investor sentiment), but the situation may improve next year,” he added.