Jang Dong-ju, 31, who retired from acting after revealing he had accumulated 4 billion won ($2.89 million) in debt following a phone hacking incident, is drawing attention with a flurry of new ventures — including hosting a YouTube broadcast and running a company.
According to Ilgan Sports, Jang plans to launch a YouTube Excel live broadcast in October, hosting the show himself.
The Excel broadcast he is developing is described as an "artist discovery" live content format, in which performers from various fields — actors, singers, idols and dancers — showcase their talents and personalities. Some observers have suggested the format resembles a YouTube live version of competition programs such as "Superstar K."
Excel broadcasts rank performers by the amount of viewer donations they receive and display the results on a spreadsheet to drive competition. The format has previously stirred controversy, as female performers in particular have resorted to excessive exposure and suggestive behavior to attract donations. Jang's team, however, said the show is being developed to focus on performers' talents while excluding provocative content.
According to Star News, Jang also plans to begin preparations in earnest for an initial public offering of Woosun Group, the company he runs. He intends to strengthen the group's existing operations and actively seek outside investment.
Woosun Group's subsidiaries include Woosun Investment, Woosun Stay, Calling Art Center, Gwangdae Acting Hagwon and D Double J Seongsu.
"Building on my experience in content and entertainment gained through acting, as well as my experience running an academy and agency, I am expanding the business while broadening Woosun Group's portfolio to encompass investment, culture and the arts, and space ventures," Jang said. He added that the company is also considering active mergers and acquisitions to fuel further expansion.
Jang learned corporate management and organizational operations firsthand from his father, Jang Myung-cheon, who has run Worldong General Construction for decades.
Jang built his public profile through appearances in the drama series "School 2017" and the film "Count," but suddenly went off the radar last October and became embroiled in a series of controversies. In January, he revealed that a phone hacking incident had left him with roughly 4 billion won in debt and that he had been threatened with the exposure of his private life. He ultimately announced his retirement from acting in May.
He subsequently pivoted to content creation on YouTube and TikTok in July, and reports emerged that he had been earning an average of about 1 million won a day through TikTok live streams, using the income to repay 300 million won in private loan principal.
paq@heraldcorp.com
