KREATION Music Rights (KMR), the music publishing subsidiary of SM Entertainment, has made a strategic decision to protect its artists’ work. The company has hired a new CEO, a seasoned expert in music copyright, to ensure that the rights of its songwriters and performers are safeguarded.
KREATION Music Rights officially announced the appointment of Heo Young Ah as CEO through its general shareholders’ meeting in March. She replaced Lee Sung Soo, who is also the chief A&R officer of SM Entertainment.
KMR described the appointment as “an important step towards becoming a publishing company that matches the reputation of K-pop and SM, and a leading company in the Asian publishing market.”
CEO Heo Young Ah stated, “In the short term, we plan to improve the publishing management system to enhance reliability for copyright holders and client companies. In the mid-to-long term, we will establish and execute creative strategies tailored to local markets around the world.”
Launched in 2023, it has become the K-pop industry’s largest music publishing company, with around 150 songwriters on board as of May 2024. It manages the former Stray Kids member Kim Woojin and Yelo.
The new CEO Heo Young Ah has 25 years of experience in the music industry. She previously held key positions at Sony Music Publishing Korea, Netflix, Disney, and the Korea Music Copyright Association. Her expertise lies in music copyright management, promotion, and protection.
