In an industry where image is everything, Teddy (Park Hong-jun) has built a K-pop empire that’s “too authentic to fail”. As the founder of The Black Label, he’s not only produced mega-hits for BIGBANG, BlackPink, and Jeon Somi, but is now the creative force behind ALLDAY Project, the most buzzed-about rookie group in 2025.
However, this is more than just another idol group, as what’s truly catching headlines isn’t just ALLDAY Project’s chart-topping debut single “Famous”, which hit #1 on Melon’s TOP100 in just 3 days, breaking NewJeans’ record. Rather, it’s the fact that members include Annie Moon – the daughter of Jung Yoo-kyung, the chairman of Korea’s top retail chain Shinsegae.
In fact, prior to Annie, Loren (Lee Seung-joo), the son of Lee Hae-jin, the founder of Korea’s largest portal site, Naver, also debuted under Teddy. So within a world where the children of billionaires could pursue any dream, why did they choose Teddy?
Individuality Over Conformity
From the start, Teddy has refused to “standardize” idols. Members of ALLDAY Project, including Insta-famous choreographer Bailey, “Show Me the Money” alum Woochan, survival show runner-up (and almost member of ILLIT, before she opted out of debuting) Youngseo, and art school model Tarzan, were seen as too old, too bold, or too different for conventional K-pop.
However, Teddy did not necessarily try to unify them into one. He thought it would be cool to just combine each individual’s personality. Teddy’s first leadership is artist-centered leadership that values individuality and autonomy.
This is a principle that Teddy has maintained since he produced BIGBANG and 2NE1 during his time at YG. Rather than matching the members’ dance lines, he tries to bring out each individual’s atmosphere.
ALLDAY does not have a clear image that it wants to express. It’s just as Bailey said, “We are experimental and still finding our direction.” Meanwhile, Tarzan stated that, “You don’t need five Hulks in the Avengers,” adding that each member has their own unique characteristics and strengths.
The result? A raw chemistry and authenticity fans say “feels like early YG all over again.”
Humility in the Spotlight
Unlike other high-profile producers, Teddy avoids the camera. While names like Min Hee-jin lean into media visibility, Teddy quietly lets his work speak — earning him the nickname “Papa Teddy” from 2NE1 and enduring loyalty from BLACKPINK’s Rosé.
Rosé, who re-signed with THEBLACKLABEL after her YG contract ended, credited Teddy as a “friend, mentor, and creative partner.” Her comeback with the hit single “APT.” under his label is further proof of his influence.
In fact, the reason why Teddy changed from his celebrity career to being a producer is the military service of his teammate. He said that because of his personality, he was happier supporting from behind than standing in front. Teddy’s unexposed leadership also reduces the company’s owner risk. As a result, investors cannot miss this opportunity.
Craftsman Leadership for a Small Group
Teddy pursues a small group system. Rather than large-scale planning, he focuses on investing in a small group through a customized strategy centered on individual artists. In fact, his process is famously slow, as he’s been known to spend months on a single track, customizing every beat like tailoring a designer suit. This shows his craftsman leadership style that prioritizes perfection across music and content. While this can delay the comebacks of artists under his agency, high-quality results is guaranteed.
As if in response to this slowness, THEBLACKLABEL have changed to a collaborative style by aggressively recruiting junior producers such as Vince and 24. Producer 24 said, “Each of us has a huge amount of work in our libraries, and if there is something good there, we all start working together.”
As producer 24 noted, their workflow involves mining their massive sound libraries and building collaboratively. It’s not mass production, but rather artisanal K-pop.
Even so, THEBLACKLABEL is accelerating. With Somi’s upcoming comeback, girl groups MEOVV and izna, and the global success of Netflix’s “K-pop Demon Hunter” (for which Teddy’s team produced the OST), the label is balancing craftsmanship with expansion.
Impressive Attention to Artist Growth
THEBLACKLABEL is now seen as *K-pop’s new “it” label*, with luxury brands lining up to sign ALLDAY Project members as ambassadors. Their appeal isn’t manufactured idol romance, but is aspirational cool, blending real-world elite status with genre-breaking talent.
According to Teddy, he starts working with the mindset of designing a piece of clothing before making a beat, going from diagnosing the artist’s personality and tendencies, to measuring them, selecting fabric materials, and programming the artists to wear them. Because of this, there were many places that offered huge production fees, but he said that there were many cases where he refused because he didn’t know the artist well.
Teddy is also excellent at stimulating artists and drawing out their full potential. The members of BLACKPINK have said, “Teddy is someone who constantly pushes us to draw out our lacking capabilities, actively reflects our thoughts and opinions in our songs, and builds deep trust on a personal level.”
As one industry insider said, “THEBLACKLABEL doesn’t follow trends, but set them. Teddy’s not just building stars. He’s building the future.”
