2PM member Jang Woo-young gave a thumbs-up to Park Jin-young, the head of JYP Entertainment (JYP). Jang Woo-young recently held a round interview at a cafe in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in celebration of the release of his third mini-album, ‘I’m in to’.
On that day, Jang Woo-young candidly confessed about the changing internal culture and reality of music work as his tenure at JYP increased. He said, “It’s an inevitable part, but the trust and faith with Jin-young hyung are growing stronger. That’s why we renew contracts, right? But the conversation is decreasing. In the past, the necessary conversations with Jin-young hyung could now be sufficiently handled through discussions with my team members, thanks to a system that’s in place for work to proceed. It seems like holding on to the habit of communicating with those in higher positions like Jin-young hyung, the president, or the CEOs might lead to our stagnation.”
Jang Woo-young also applauded Park Jin-young’s boldness. On the 9th, it was announced that President Lee Jae-myung had appointed Park Jin-young, JYP’s chief producer and Chief Creative Officer (CCO), as co-chairman of the Pop Culture Exchange Committee. This committee was established to prepare public-private partnership systems for expanding popular culture, such as music, dramas, movies, and games, in response to global interest in Korean culture.
On the same day, Park Jin-young expressed on his personal social media, “My dream remains the same: for K-pop to be loved worldwide. I’ll work hard to create better opportunities for junior artists. I will do my best so that K-pop can not only promote our culture but also become a platform for global understanding and exchange.”
In response, Jang Woo-young said, “I was surprised. I knew he was great and respected him, but I wondered, ‘How could he make that decision?’ No matter how experienced he is, I think it’s an incredible courage. He chose to ‘dare to take responsibility’ and ‘get it done.’ From the perspective of fans, the public, JYP employees, and junior singers who are watching, it’s an enormously significant decision, but personally, I might not be able to say ‘Congratulations.’ I’m just curious, ‘Hyung, how did you make such a decision?’ It’s simply ‘Why?’ As a junior, a disciple, and someone moving forward together, I’m wondering, ‘Are you okay? Aren’t you scared? Weren’t you afraid?’ I’m trembling even as I speak now.”
He also added, “I wonder, ‘How does he manage to do it?’ But considering that Jin-young hyung has been leading the company and persevering through, it seems natural that he would do it because he is confident.”
Jang Woo-young’s third mini-album ‘I’m in to’ will be released at 6 PM on the 15th through various online music sites.