Kyuhyun (규현), a former member of SM Entertainment's boy group Super Junior (슈퍼주니어), spent 17 years with the agency before moving to Antenna (안테나), home to entertainer Yoo Jae-suk (유재석). He recently appeared on singer Sung Si-kyung's (성시경) YouTube channel, where he candidly shared his feelings about leaving his long-standing agency and his genuine thoughts during this pivotal life transition.
Sung Si-kyung's YouTube channel released its latest video on the 13th, featuring Kyuhyun as a guest. During the program, Sung Si-kyung brought up Kyuhyun's transition from SM Entertainment to Antenna, revealing that the two had discussed the move extensively before Kyuhyun made his decision.
Sung Si-kyung remarked, "You're doing great now. I remember we talked a lot when you switched agencies. I told you then that it was okay to stay, and it was okay to leave—you could choose either way." He also recalled Kyuhyun's feelings before departing SM Entertainment, stating, "Actually, right before you truly leave, it's very scary. Because after you leave, everything becomes your own responsibility, but your income does improve."
Kyuhyun expressed his gratitude to Sung Si-kyung, admitting that beyond financial considerations, it was Sung Si-kyung's encouragement that gave him the courage to take the leap. He said, "More than the income, I think it was because of your words that I had the courage to accept this challenge. Didn't you also tell me then that if I encountered difficulties, you could introduce me to people and help arrange performances for me?" Sung Si-kyung laughed in response, saying he often tells others similar things: "You can tell that to other people too! For example, those who have been at big companies for a long time and are scared right before they truly leave."
Sung Si-kyung also emphasized that he never pressured Kyuhyun to leave SM Entertainment. "I told you then that staying at SM was also an option. There are things you gain by staying, and things you gain by leaving. I never told you that you absolutely had to go; either choice was fine." Kyuhyun agreed, acknowledging, "Indeed, there are pros and cons to both."
Discussing the work Kyuhyun now manages independently, Sung Si-kyung chuckled, "Isn't all of this yours now? Including this Asian tour and the album." Kyuhyun revealed that one of the benefits of leaving a large company is having more autonomy over work conditions. "After leaving, I can negotiate the terms of my tours myself."
Sung Si-kyung further used the movie The Matrix as an analogy to describe the difference between staying with a large company and leaving: "You can choose to be comfortably protected, or you can unplug and walk out, like in The Matrix. I think knowing what the outside world is like is the better choice." Hearing this, Kyuhyun laughed somewhat worriedly, asking, "Won't saying that encourage too many people to leave?"
Sung Si-kyung immediately clarified that he wasn't encouraging everyone to leave. "Not everyone is suited to leave, and not everyone should leave." Kyuhyun also stated that when junior artists now ask him whether they should leave their agencies, he tries to remain neutral and doesn't simply advocate for leaving. He said, "There are indeed advantages and disadvantages. When juniors ask me, I tell them all these things, trying to remain unbiased and neutral."
Kyuhyun's sharing once again highlights that for idols who have developed long-term careers in large entertainment companies, "leaving" is never as simple as just "wanting to go." While departing might offer greater autonomy and negotiation power, it also entails taking on more work and decision-making responsibilities.
