The exclusive contracts of big-name stars like actor Jang Dong-gun, actress Kim Ha-neul and entertainer Shin Dong-yup under SM Culture & Contents (SM C&C) are set to expire this year and they are mulling on whether to re-sign or move to another agency.
SM C&C was launched in September 2012 to expand SM Entertainment's business to include actors and entertainers under its roster.
TV entertainers Kang Ho-dong and Shin Dong-yup signed up with the agency in August 2012 followed by Kim Byung-man and Lee Soo-geun in September that year.
SM C&C also merged with AM Entertainment, which managed Jang Dong-gun, Kim Ha-neul and Han Ji-min, in September 2012.
Jun Hyun-moo, a former KBS announcer, signed a contract with SM C&C in December 2012.
The stars all signed five-year contracts that will expire this year. Lee Soo-geun's contract expiration has been extended for two years because of his past illegal gambling issue.
"Jang Dong-gun, Kim Ha-neul and Jun Hyun-moo have not yet discussed the contracts which are due to expire in the latter half of the year," according to a representative of SM C&C.
One agency official said, "When big stars signed up for SM C&C in 2012, it was a dinosaur agency since they had all the big stars at once."
The agency is still hot in the entertainment industry after five years. But if the stars decide to transfer, many agencies are more than willing to offer them exclusive contracts.
Other actors and actresses under SM C&C are Kang Ye Won, Kim Soo Ro, Song Jae Rim, Jung So Min, Hwang Shin Hye, Kim Si Hoo, Yoon So Hee, Jo Min Seong, Lee Na Yoon, Kim Jae Bum, and Kim Mi Jung.
The entertainers under its belt also include Han Suk Joon, Kim Kyung Sik, Kim Tae Hyun, Lee Dong Woo, Hong Rocky, Ryu Dam and Zhang Yuan.
