Kakao Entertainment names AI veteran Ko Jung-hee co-CEO to sharpen global IP and platform edge
Kakao Entertainment has nominated Ko Jung-hee, former head of the AI group at Kakao Bank, as co-CEO alongside Joseph Chang. Pending shareholder and board approval, she is expected to take office in late March. Current co-CEO Kweon Ki-su will step down for personal reasons. The reshuffle centers on scaling global intellectual property across music, story, and media while strengthening platform competitiveness.
Why this move matters
The company is formalizing a two-speed operating model. Ko will own platform and service strategy with a focus on innovation and operating discipline. Chang will push global IP expansion and overseas operations. Clear swim lanes at the top reduce context switching and speed up decisions.
Who is Ko Jung-hee
Ko joined the Kakao group in 2002, leading service and strategy across Daum Cafe, blogs, and Japan operations. At Kakao Bank, she served as chief service officer and chief strategy officer before leading its AI group. She's credited with advancing user-focused financial services and AI-driven improvements at the internet-only bank. Kakao Entertainment expects that experience to translate into platform and service upgrades across its ecosystem.
Chang's mandate
Joseph Chang will continue to expand global intellectual properties and overseas operations. He has been widening international activities for artists under Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment, and broadening K-pop distribution channels. The company says he will keep pursuing large-scale IP projects and new growth across music, story, and media.
Operator's checklist for executives
- Define the split: Ko owns platform experience, data, AI, and service economics. Chang owns IP sourcing, artist development, distribution, and partnerships.
- AI-to-value pipeline: Improve recommendations, curation, dynamic pricing, ad yield, fraud and abuse prevention, rights operations, and customer support automation. Build clear guardrails for privacy and bias.
- Unify the stack: Consolidate identity, payments, catalog and rights, content management, and analytics. Remove redundant tools across units.
- First 100 days: Lock KPIs, audit data flows and models, prioritize three to five high-impact user journeys, ship a visible UX win, and publish a partner roadmap.
- Metrics that matter: MAU, time spent, paid conversion, ARPU, overseas revenue mix, catalog export revenue, IP licensing velocity, cost-to-serve, and content ROI.
- Global footing: Strengthen distribution with streaming platforms and telcos, stand up local A&R and co-production hubs, and prepare for market-specific rules on data and royalties.
What to watch next
Formal appointment is slated for late March after approvals. Early signals to track: org shifts around platform, a faster cadence of product updates, and new overseas distribution deals. Progress should show up in retention, paid conversion, and the international revenue mix.
For company updates and releases, see Kakao Entertainment. For context on Ko's background, review Kakao Bank.
Industry backdrop
As Korean music and stories continue to scale abroad, control of IP and distribution is the leverage. Pairing a platform-focused operator with a global IP builder is a practical model across media-tech. Execution speed and partner reach will decide the slope of growth.
For leaders building an AI-led platform strategy, explore AI for Executives & Strategy.
In a joint statement, Chang and Ko said Kakao Entertainment will deepen synergies across its IP value chain and strengthen its position in the global entertainment industry.
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