Kakao Entertainment Appoints Kwon Ki-su and Jang Yoon-jung as New Co-CEOs

Kakao Entertainment announced on the 19th that it has appointed Kwon Ki-soo, Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Jang Yoon-joong, Global Strategy Officer (GSO), as the new co-CEOs. The newly appointed co-CEOs, Kwon Ki-soo and Jang Yoon-joong, will officially assume their roles after formal appointment procedures through the board of directors and the general shareholders' meeting.

Both appointees possess extensive experience and understanding of the Kakao Group and the entertainment industry as a whole. The company stated that they were deemed the right leaders to drive change with a fresh perspective. Together, they will lead the Renewal Task Force (TF) and, before their official inauguration, plan to communicate with various internal and external stakeholders and partners to review practical renewal tasks and establish systems.

From the left, Kwon Ki-soo and Jang Yoon-joong, newly appointed co-CEOs of Kakao Entertainment
[Photo by Kakao Entertainment]

Kwon was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Daum Communications in 2013. He later served as Head of Management Support at Kakao M and currently holds the positions of COO of Kakao Entertainment and Head of the Music Content Division. In 2014, he was CFO during the merger of Daum Communications and Kakao. At the launch of Kakao Entertainment in 2021, which merged KakaoPage, Kakao M, and Melon, he led the Synergy Center overseeing finance and management strategy, facilitating a stable integration. Based on his deep understanding of the culture and business of Kakao Group and Kakao Entertainment, he plans to focus on renewal while prioritizing business stabilization.

Since joining Kakao Entertainment in 2021, Jang has led global business initiatives. He previously served as CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Korea and co-CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Asia Hub. Currently, as GSO of Kakao Entertainment, he also serves as CEO of the North American integrated corporation and Chief Business Officer (CBO) of SM Entertainment. Leveraging his strong network with key partners and artists in the global music industry and his extensive experience in global markets, Jang has concretized Kakao Entertainment’s global roadmap and delivered results. Last year, he was selected for the U.S. Gold House’s ‘A100,’ which recognizes Asians with significant influence on American culture and society, as well as the ‘Billboard International Power Players.’ Jang plans to further concentrate his capabilities globally to strengthen Kakao Entertainment’s competitiveness across intellectual property (IP) planning, production, and distribution.

Both appointees stated, "We feel a heavy responsibility in taking on leadership ahead of new changes," and added, "We will continue various efforts to meet social expectations and standards." They further said, "We will accelerate innovation and evolution in the content business to demonstrate Kakao Entertainment’s growth potential in the global market and grow into a true global entertainment company."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.