Sony Music Entertainment-owned distribution and artist/label services company The Orchard has made two new senior appointments in its Seoul office.
Warner Bros. Discovery veteran Jeeyoung Lee has been appointed South Korea Country Manager, while Spotify and Big Hit Music (i.e. HYBE) veteran Sungho “Jake” Bae has been named Director, Asia Pacific Region, Artist and Label Services.
Lee most recently held the position of General Manager, Warner Bros. Discovery and SVP Content Strategy APAC. Prior to that, she served as General Manager Japan & Korea, at Discovery Inc., and Global Head for Music Business at CJ E&M.
In a statement issued on Wednesday (October 23), The Orchard said Lee brings nearly two decades of experience at entertainment companies, including leadership, strategy, sales, content distribution, management, and marketing.
Lee will oversee The Orchard’s Korean operations, including label management, release strategy, global distribution and regional support efforts, on top of driving new business. She will be responsible for implementing the company’s “full service global solution for monetization” in what The Orchard calls “a pivotal market in the Asia-Pacific region.”
“As global appetites for Korean music increase, she will play an integral role in connecting independent Korean labels and artists with audiences by engaging fans in innovative and sustainable ways.”
Prashant Bahadur, The Orchard
Lee’s “strategic business acumen and extensive network coupled with a deep understanding of Korea’s culture will be invaluable in growing The Orchard’s value proposition in the region,” said Prashant Bahadur, EVP Head of Strategy, to whom Lee will report.
“As global appetites for Korean music increase, she will play an integral role in connecting independent Korean labels and artists with audiences by engaging fans in innovative and sustainable ways.”
“Returning to the music industry, a field I have always been passionate about, fills me with immense joy,” Lee added.
“The Orchard’s commitment to empowering Korean artists and labels aligns perfectly with my vision for the industry. I look forward to leveraging my experience and working with the talented team here to expand our footprint and drive success for our partners in Korea and beyond.”
Additionally, The Orchard’s New York-based SVP Strategy and Corporate Development, John Park, has seen his role expanded to focus on business opportunities in Korea. Park will work with Lee on new signings and partnerships, as well as global strategy, The Orchard said.
Bae, the company’s new Director, APAC, Artist and Label Services, previously held leadership positions at Spotify and Big Hit Music, and is “well interconnected across the music sector in Korea,” The Orchard said. During his time at Big Hit, Bae worked with The Orchard on breaking BTS – the world’s biggest K-pop act – to global audiences.
In his new role, he will be responsible for implementing release strategy across the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on cross-country marketing, The Orchard said.
“The Orchard’s commitment to empowering Korean artists and labels aligns perfectly with my vision for the industry.”
Jeeyoung Lee, The Orchard
The Orchard, which operates in 47 cities worldwide, has what it calls a “robust” roster in South Korea, which includes Starship Entertainment (IVE, Cravity), ABYSS Company (BamBam, SUNMI), Regime International (DPR IAN, DPR ARTIC, DPR CREAM), Eric Nam, Modhaus (tripleS, ARTMS), and Culture Think (RapBeat).
Over the past year, the company has made some notable appointments worldwide, including the promotion of KGV Kiran Kumar to the position of Managing Director, India.
The company also appointed Ian Dutt as President, UK, and Chris Manning as Managing Director, UK and Europe. Meanwhile, Lanre Masha was named Director, West Africa.
Most recently, the company announced that Maik Pallasch would be stepping down as Managing Director for Central and Eastern Europe. The company has yet to name a successor.Music Business Worldwide
