Jennie Receives 23.8 Billion Won in Settlement Over Two Years from Her Solo Agency – Proof of K-Pop’s Independent Business Model

Jennie received approximately 23.8 billion won in settlement payments from her solo agency, OA Entertainment, over a period of two years. She was paid 14.3 billion won in 2024 and around 9.5 billion won in 2025, and this case is gaining attention as evidence that K-Pop idols can succeed with independent business models.

Jennie established OA Entertainment in November 2023 after her personal exclusive contract with YG Entertainment expired. While BLACKPINK continues its group activities through YG Entertainment, her solo album releases, advertisements, performances, fashion projects, and other personal endeavors are handled independently through OA Entertainment under a dual-system structure. Jennie owns 100% of the company’s shares, with her mother serving as the representative.

The business scale of OA Entertainment has grown rapidly. Its sales revenue reached 18.9 billion won in 2024 and increased to 23.8 billion won in 2025, marking a roughly 26% rise compared to the previous year. However, operating profits declined from 580 million won in 2024 to 390 million won in 2025. This decline is attributed to rising costs resulting from expanding staff, increasing payment fees, and broader global activities.

Notably, Jennie personally invested funds in the company’s operations. The agency operated using shareholder loans (interest-free funds), with short-term loan balances amounting to 345.32 million won by the end of 2024. This amount increased by approximately 711.37 million won in 2025, but 539.93 million won was repaid, reducing the outstanding short-term loan balance to around 285.73 million won by the end of this year. The industry interprets this as a demonstration of her commitment to investing in business stability and growth.

The amount of 23.8 billion won in settlement payments illustrates Jennie’s global influence. It is estimated that earnings from her personal activities such as advertisements, music releases, performances, and appearances are included in this figure, though the specific breakdown by category has not been disclosed. Nevertheless, the scale of these settlement payments indicates that Jennie’s personal brand has already reached a level capable of generating revenue comparable to that of large agencies.

Jennie’s global status continues to rise. Last month, she was the only K-Pop star included in Time magazine’s list of “The 100 Most Influential People of 2026.” She has also performed as a headliner at seven major music festivals worldwide and recently attended the Met Gala, one of the most prestigious events in the fashion industry, continuing her diverse activities across music, fashion, and global entertainment.

K-Pop idols’ independent business models have previously been considered high-risk choices. However, Jennie’s case has proven to the market that it is possible to succeed independently from an agency if one possesses a substantial global fanbase and strong personal brand value.