The entertainment industry's "Midas touch" who raised Japan's national group SMAP, Iijima Michi, is making a sudden move to join HYBE Japan.
HYBE's Japan headquarters, HYBE JAPAN, announced today (7) that it has abruptly created the position of "J-pop executive producer (J-POP Executive Producer)" and officially appointed veteran producer Iijima Michi (飯島三智) from the Japanese entertainment industry to the new post.
Newly appointed J-POP executive producer Iijima Michi has led artist management, producing and video content planning at the forefront since 1978, for about 50 years. She is also renowned as a pioneer who established Japan's unique "multi-talent model," which expands artists' spheres of activity comprehensively beyond music into variety shows, drama, film and other areas. She is especially famous for serving for a long time as the manager and producer of the legendary national group SMAP, playing a leading role in developing them into an unrivaled top artist. In addition, she has demonstrated outstanding abilities as a film producer, planning substantial well-made works such as Midnight Swan, which won the Best Picture Award at the 44th Japan Academy Prize.
Upon joining HYBE Japan, executive producer Iijima will oversee all areas from planning and production of artist IP to activity strategy development, creative direction and producing. HYBE Japan plans to combine her local market expertise with HYBE's global-level artist development system to focus all efforts on discovering and developing the next generation of J-pop artist IP. In addition, executive producer Iijima will concurrently continue as the head of the talent agency CULEN (Culen), which she founded.
This recruitment is part of concretizing HYBE's core growth strategy 'HYBE 2.0' — the "multi-home, multi-genre" strategy — in the Japanese market. HYBE Japan aims to further solidify its leading position in Japan with an advanced strategy tailored to local culture and market characteristics.
Executive producer Iijima said, "Now that the entertainment industry is at a major turning point, I am convinced the future lies in fandom," and added, "Through the fusion of fandom and entertainment, I will do my best to expand the possibilities of Japanese entertainment and ensure that artists and content born in Japan can be loved in the global market for a long time."
Kim Young-min, chairman of HYBE Japan, also said, "We are pleased to welcome executive producer Iijima, who has achieved outstanding results and insights in the Japanese industry and who has deep affection for artists," and expressed expectation that "her unique producing capabilities combined with HYBE's global infrastructure will inject strong vitality into the Japanese music market."
[Photo] Provided by HYBE Japan
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