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Korea Herald

From Blackpink to Cosmosy: Ex-YG's producer's inventive approach to K-pop

From managing Blackpink's debut to launching all-Japanese girl group Cosmosy, Sinxity aims to redefine K-pop's creative model while championing diversity and LGBTQ+ visibility Shin Seong-jin, better known by his professional name Sinxity, may come across as soft-spoken, but his words land with surprising clarity and conviction. In an industry steeped in formulas and rigid systems, Sinxity stands out for challenging conventions and redefining the role of a K-pop producer. 'I'd rather be called a creator than a creative director,' he told The Korea Herald in an interview on June 12. 'There are producers for drama series on over-the-top platforms, but above them are creators who oversee the entire message. That's what I do — from choreography and visuals to promotion and marketing, I aim to deliver a consistent creative identity.' Sinxity's approach is often compared to that of Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of Ador, who debuted the girl group NewJeans. Like Min, Sinxity does not compose music, but plays a decisive role in shaping all aspects of an artist's debut and concept. 'I've been working in entertainment since 2009, starting at YG Entertainment,' he said. 'I was involved in (the company's) IPO projects and also worked as a manager and creative director on debut projects for Lee Hi, AKMU, Winner and Blackpink.' On his experience with Blackpink before their debut in 2016, Sinxity said, 'The fact that Blackpink even came together as a team felt like a miracle. Each member had outstanding potential. Meeting such individuals in a single group project feels like fate.' 'What's most important in producing is identifying the essence each trainee holds, and helping that core grow,' he said. 'With the Blackpink members, I was truly moved by their talent, beauty and individual charm.' Building new creative standard In 2018, Sinxity left YG Entertainment and founded his own label, Axis, backed by investment from Naver subsidiaries Naver Snow and Naver Webtoon. He said the name Axis reflects his vision: 'If one strong axis was in place, I believed it could become a platform where creators like myself could emerge — even reshape the entertainment industry.' 'I want to surpass companies like Hybe, SM and JYP Entertainment — not just follow them, but do better. I see content as something holistic. I want to set a new standard across the entire entertainment value chain.' Cosmosy and case for cultural specificity In April, Axis debuted its first girl group, Cosmosy, in partnership with Japan's largest telco, NTT Docomo. The group consists of four Japanese members and sings in Korean, English and Japanese in each song — a rare combination even in today's global K-pop scene. 'In Korea, K-pop mixes Korean and English. Likewise, Japanese fans enjoy listening to Korean, and Korean fans enjoy Japanese through anime and J-pop,' he said. "Since Korean and Japanese have similar syntax, mixing the two doesn't feel unnatural. Each language offers unique expressions, which I found creatively exciting.' Cosmosy also pursues a diverse musical range beyond K-pop and J-pop, venturing into pop and Afro-pop influences. 'They're an idol group in the way they promote, but musically they're diverse. I think it's okay to blur the lines of identity,' Sinxity said. 'We formed a clearer hypothesis about how Cosmosy could grow. With all members being Japanese, we could use that cultural specificity to define the direction of our concept more clearly.' 'Rather than debuting them as a 'complete' group, we allowed space for them to evolve,' he said. 'We focused on having an all-Japanese lineup because that cultural foundation allows for unique content. With multinational groups, issues of cultural appropriation often arise. We wanted to steer clear of that.' Redefining norms At the end of the interview, Sinxity also spoke candidly about his sexual identity, sharing that he is gay. 'There are many sexual minorities in K-pop,' he said. 'With two members of Katseye recently coming out, I think K-pop is having a positive impact.' Axis also runs a drama subsidiary that produces BL (gay romance) series. 'Our content aims to break stereotypes and give courage to those who need it. I just hope what I'm doing has meaning in this world.'