Rhymer reveals 23-year family management at Brand New Music

Singer and producer Rhymer revealed that he is running Brand New Music, the company he leads, alongside his father and younger sister. Rhymer, who has led the entertainment agency for 23 years, explained that he entrusted the company's initial financial and accounting systems to his father and later had his sister, who worked at a large corporation, join the team to solidify the management foundation with his family. At the same time, he drew attention by expressing that if he meets a good spouse and can start a family, he might even step down from running the company itself.

In the Channel A variety show 'Groom Class 2' broadcast on the 18th, Rhymer's work life at the Brand New Music office, which he has operated for 23 years, was revealed.

During the broadcast, Rhymer began his day by personally recording schedules in an old diary. He then carried out a schedule that fluctuated between producer and manager, checking the recording status of artists under his agency, writing album introductions, and even attending producer meetings.

Unlike his image as a rapper on stage, his side as a CEO—overseeing everything from artists' musical work to content, planning, and general management—was highlighted within the company. Watching this, the panelists remarked, "He looks like a different person," viewing Rhymer's professional side in a new light.

The image of the businessman shown by Rhymer continued even after work. After finishing his tasks, he waited for someone below the company building, and the people he was waiting for were his father and younger sister.

"My father joined us for financial and accounting management from the very early stages and has been working with us until now," Rhymer explained. "Director Kim Se-min, my younger sister, is in charge of the overall financial and accounting management of our company."

According to the broadcast, Rhymer's father serves as the managing director in charge of finance and accounting, while his younger sister serves as the general director of finance and accounting. This means family members, who have managed the company's numbers and financial structure since its founding, have been in charge of the organization's core tasks for a long period.

Rhymer also directly revealed the reason why he brought his family into the company. He said, "As I was doing it alone and the company scale grew little by little, I needed people I could trust."

An entertainment agency is an industry where complex financial tasks—such as artist discovery, album production, contracting, settlement, copyright, investment, performances, and sales management—occur simultaneously. In particular, as the company grows, the importance of the management area, such as contracts and accounting, increases alongside the creative areas of artists and production crews. Rhymer explained that he solidified the foundation of the organization by placing trustworthy family members in core management areas from the beginning.

Rhymer also disclosed his father's academic background and career. He introduced him, saying, "My father has been an elite since a long time ago. He graduated from Yonsei University's Department of Business Administration and Kyungbock High School." Regarding his sister, he explained that he brought the two into the company he operates, noting, "She is someone who used to work at a large corporation."

However, it is difficult to conclude that this is 'family management' in the general sense or a matter of preferential treatment simply because family members serve as executives. This is because how they were hired and what duties and responsibilities they perform are internal company matters. The content revealed in the broadcast focused on the careers and current duties of the family members as explained by Rhymer himself.

A point of interest is that Rhymer's perspective on the company he has built over 23 years has been changing slightly of late. He confessed on this day, "I have been having such thoughts lately. Like, 'If I build a good family, should I stop running Brand New Music?'"

While considering the company as a significant part of his life, he meant that if he meets a life partner, he might choose to focus on his family rather than management.

Rhymer stated, "I thought, if I meet a precious partner whom I can never meet again if I let them go, what would matter? If I have certainty, I think I would try to focus more on that life."

This is different in nature from a simple retirement announcement. He did not declare a plan to immediately step away from the management of Brand New Music, but rather revealed a personal contemplation regarding what he will prioritize between work and family in his future life.

Rhymer has been expanding his territory since the early 2000s by balancing musical activities and production. Based on Brand New Music, he participated in artist production and producing, while simultaneously managing the agency, establishing a unique position within the music industry. The process of expanding his role from a single artist to a manager running an organization of numerous musicians and production crews is a major pillar of his career.

As such, his mention that he "might stop running the company" carries more weight than a simple job change or retirement. It is a statement that contains both his attachment to the organization he built and his new personal contemplations.

Personal experiences have also influenced the shift in Rhymer's views on family. He married entertainer and interpreter Ahn Hyun Mo in 2017 but divorced in 2023. The couple has no children. Given that he is considering new connections and starting a family again after ending his marriage, his remarks are seen as a reflection of his changing life priorities.

Particularly given the nature of 'Groom Class 2,' Rhymer's contemplation of family over business is highlighted. In a variety show that observes the marriages, meetings, and family values of celebrities, it becomes a significant moment when a man who has led his own business for over 20 years says, "If I meet a good partner, what would matter?"

This does not necessarily mean that the company and family are mutually exclusive for Rhymer. There are various options, such as maintaining management rights while strengthening a professional management system or delegating tasks. His comments were not a formal announcement of a succession plan or retirement, but rather a personal reflection on how he might allocate his time and energy when he meets a life partner.

Ultimately, Rhymer's daily life revealed on the show showcased two contrasting sides. In the office, he was a sharp CEO personally overseeing everything from artist recordings to album planning and producer meetings; yet after work, he was a family member waiting for his father and sister. And the final thought he shared was not about the company's growth or musical achievements, but the 'family' he hopes to build.

For Rhymer, who has led Brand New Music for 23 years, the company has long been a core part of his identity. However, by mentioning the possibility of stepping down from the organization he has protected for so long, he signaled that in the next stage of his life, he may seek a new balance between professional achievement and personal happiness.

The fact that Rhymer, who has operated his organization for 23 years with his father and sister as core financial and accounting personnel, is now contemplating not just 'what kind of company to build' but 'what kind of life to live,' makes his remarks even more compelling.