Lee Chan-hyuk of the sibling duo AKMU recently opened up about his reasons for leaving YG Entertainment and establishing his own independent one-man agency.
During the October 31 broadcast of MBC’s reality show ‘The Manager’, AKMU members Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Su-hyun appeared as guests to share behind-the-scenes stories.
Lee Su-hyun praised her brother’s dedication to preparing for their recent concert, explaining, "Even previously, my brother directed things as he envisioned. But this time, he completely separated from the company. He handled everything from A to Z with no detail untouched, which makes the recognition he’s receiving all the more meaningful."
Highlighting Lee Chan-hyuk’s extreme attention to detail, Lee Su-hyun added, "He went as far as examining the dancers’ stage outfits and saying, ‘I don’t like this button on this dancer’s costume.’ That’s how meticulous he was."
Lee Chan-hyuk, who terminated his contract with YG Entertainment in November of last year and founded a one-man agency, expressed high satisfaction with his choice. "My previous company provided great support, but when working together, there’s always a limit where you think, ‘I should stop here.’ I wanted to take full responsibility and let loose the reins myself. Right now, I’m extremely happy," he shared.
When asked if he felt pressured about holding his first concert since leaving the agency, Lee Chan-hyuk confessed honestly, "I had a lot of ambition. Because that ambition came with total responsibility, it definitely felt burdensome."
Lee Su-hyun revealed the toll it took, stating, "My brother couldn’t sleep for a week leading up to the concert because of severe muscle spasms." Lee Chan-hyuk explained, "My body was still revved up after working so hard," adding that he ended up losing 5kg in just one month and was unable to eat properly during the intense preparation period.
Injecting some humor, Lee Su-hyun joked, "It wasn’t that he was sensitive just because he couldn’t eat; he’s always sensitive. I practically crawled around the venue trying not to catch his eye. I’d open my door in the morning to check if he was up, quietly test the waters by saying ‘hello’, and only then dare to step outside," drawing laughter from the cast.
