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Spackman Media Group Artist Son Suk-ku Dominates Both Big And Small Screens In Korea, Starring In The #1 Film, THE ROUNDUP, And Most Popular K-Drama, MY LIBERATION NOTES

  • Written by The Chronicle


Spackman Media Group artist Son Suk-ku's latest film, THE ROUNDUP, a sequel to the 2017 hit THE OUTLAWS, maintained its top position at the Korea box office for two consecutive weeks and achieved the most tickets sold on the second weekend since PARASITE (2019). According to statistics from the Korean Film Council, THE ROUNDUP recorded a total revenue of US$54.4 million and cumulative ticket admissions of more than 6.5 million. The film, which first premiered on May 18, was released on over 2,500 theatre screens and captured 83% of market share in Korea as of May 29.

Starring Son Suk-ku and Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee) of Marvel Studios' ETERNALS (2021), THE ROUNDUP was pre-sold to 132 countries around the world, including Singapore, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and France, as well as the regions of North America and Eastern Europe. THE ROUNDUP is a sequel to THE OUTLAWS, which was co-presented and distributed by the Group's subsidiary, Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. THE OUTLAWS broke the all-time highest Video On Demand sales record in Korea in 2018.

In the film, Son Suk-ku takes on the role of extreme villain Kang Hae-sang who confronts Detective Ma Suk-do, played by Ma Dong-seok.

Son Suk-ku also was atop the small screen as Good Data TV Popularity Research, an audience rating research company, has rated his latest K-drama, MY LIBERATION NOTES, #1 in the TV drama rankings in Korea for three consecutive weeks as of May 24 and has ranked Son Suk-ku as the most popular actor in Korea for four weeks in a row. Moreover, the K-drama surpassed its previous highest viewership record in Korea with an audience rating of 7.6% in the metropolitan area for its final episode, based on Nielson Korea.

Produced by Chorokbaem Media and JTBC Studios, MY LIBERATION NOTES relates the story of a secretive stranger (Son Suk-ku of Spackman Media Group) and three siblings (Kim Ji-won, Lee Min-ki and Lee El), who long to escape from their dead-end lives.

Son Suk-ku is also set to headline in upcoming Netflix original K-drama, MURDEROUS TOY, which also stars Choi Woo Shik of the film PARASITE (2019). Produced by Showbox, MURDEROUS TOY, which is expected to begin in the second half of this year, is a comedy thriller drama based on the popular webtoon series of the same name. The story revolves around an ordinary man (played by Choi Woo Shik) who murders a serial killer on the loose. After committing the crime, he runs for his life as he is chased by a skilled detective (played by Son Suk-ku).

Son Suk-ku is represented by SBD Entertainment Inc. ("SBD Entertainment"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spackman Media Group, that represents and manages the careers of 12 artists. In addition to Son Suk-ku, SBD Entertainment also represents one of Korea's rapidly rising young actors, Han Ji-hyun of popular K-drama THE PENTHOUSE 3, who won the Best Rookie Female Actor in the 2021 Brand Customer Loyalty Awards in Korea and endorsed luxury brand Gucci in April 2021.

About Spackman Entertainment Group Limited

Spackman Entertainment Group Limited ("SEGL" or the "Company"), and together with its subsidiaries, (the "Group"), is one of Korea's leading entertainment production groups. SEGL is primarily engaged in the independent development, production, presentation, and financing of theatrical motion pictures in Korea.

The Company was founded in 2011 by renowned media and technology investor Charles Spackman who served as the Company's Executive Chairman until 2017. For the past two decades, Mr. Charles Spackman has been a powerhouse in the Korean entertainment industry starting in the early 2000's with the pioneering success of Sidus Pictures, the largest movie production company at the time and the first to be listed in Korea. Mr. Spackman is also the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the global investment firm, Spackman Group. For more information, please visit and .

Since its founding, SEGL had produced more than 30 major motion pictures including a number of the highest grossing and award-winning films in Korea, namely #ALIVE (2020), CRAZY ROMANCE (2019), DEFAULT (2018), MASTER (2016), THE PRIESTS (2015), SNOWPIERCER (2013), COLD EYES (2013) and ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012).

Our films are theatrically distributed and released in Korea and overseas markets, as well as for subsequent post-theatrical worldwide release in other forms of media, including online streaming, cable TV, broadcast TV, IPTV, video-on-demand, and home video/DVD, etc. Generally, we release our motion pictures into wide-theatrical exhibition initially in Korea, and then in overseas and ancillary markets.

The Group also invests into and produces Korean television dramas. In addition to our content business, we also own equity stakes in entertainment-related companies and film funds that can financially and strategically complement our existing core operations. SEGL is listed on the Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited under the ticker 40E.

Production Labels

SEGL owns Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. ("Novus Mediacorp"), an investor, presenter, and/or post-theatrical distributor for a total of 79 films (58 Korean and 21 foreign) including ROSE OF BETRAYAL, THE OUTLAWS and SECRETLY, GREATLY, which was one of the biggest box office hits of 2013 starring Kim Soo-hyun of MY LOVE FROM THE STARS, as well as FRIEND 2: THE GREAT LEGACY. In 2012, Novus Mediacorp was also the post-theatrical rights distributor of ALL ABOUT MY WIFE, a top-grossing romantic comedy produced by Zip Cinema. In 2018, THE OUTLAWS, co-presented by Novus Mediacorp broke the all-time highest Video On Demand ("VOD") sales records in Korea. For more information, please visit

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Simplex Films Limited ("Simplex Films") which is an early stage film production firm. The maiden film of Simplex Films, JESTERS: THE GAME CHANGERS (2019), was released in Korea on 21 August 2019. Simplex Films has several line-up of films including HURRICANE BROTHERS (working title).

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Take Pictures Pte. Ltd. ("Take Pictures") which produced STONE SKIPPING (2020) and THE BOX (2021), and shall release THE GUEST in the second half of 2022 and A MAN OF REASON, with the previous working title GUARDIAN in 2022 tentatively.

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Greenlight Content Limited ("Greenlight Content") which is mainly involved in the business of investing into dramas and movies, as well as providing consulting services for the production of Korean content. Through the acquisition of Greenlight Content, the Group's first co-produced drama, MY SECRET TERRIUS, starring top Korean star, So Ji Sub, achieved #1 in drama viewership ratings for its time slot and recorded double digits for its highest viewership ratings. Greenlight Content was one of the main investors of MY SECRET TERRIUS.

The Company owns a 20% equity interest in The Makers Studio Co. Ltd., which plans to produce and release four upcoming films, the first of which will be THE ISLAND OF THE GHOST'S WAIL, a comedy horror film.

Talent Representation

The Company holds an effective shareholding interest of 43.88% in Spackman Media Group Limited ("SMGL"). SMGL, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, together with its subsidiaries, is collectively one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in Korea in terms of the number of artists under management, including some of the top names in the Korean entertainment industry. SMGL operates its talent management business through renowned agencies such as MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Son Ye-jin, Wi Ha-jun, Lee Min-jung, Ko Sung-hee), SBD Entertainment Inc. (Son Suk-ku, Han Ji-hyun, Lee Cho-hee, Park Keun-rok), UAA&CO Inc. (Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Hye-ri, Kim Ji-young, Wang Ji-won), Play Content Co., Ltd. (Kang Min-ji, Hwang-hwi) and Kook Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Baek Si-won, Shin Ji-woong). Through these full-service talent agencies in Korea, SMGL represents and guides the professional careers of a leading roster of award-winning actors/actresses in the practice areas of motion pictures, television, commercial endorsements, and branded entertainment. SMGL leverages its unparalleled portfolio of artists as a platform to develop, produce, finance and own the highest quality of entertainment content projects, including theatrical motion pictures, variety shows and TV dramas. This platform also creates and derives opportunities for SMGL to make strategic investments in development stage businesses that can collaborate with SMGL artists. SMGL is an associated company of the Company. For more information, please visit

The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Constellation Agency Pte. Ltd. ("Constellation Agency"). Constellation Agency, which owns The P Factory Co., Ltd. ("The P Factory") and Platform Media Group Co., Ltd. ("PMG"), is primarily involved in the business of overseas agency for Korean artists venturing into the overseas market. The P Factory is an innovative marketing solutions provider specializing in event and branded content production. PMG is a talent management agency which represents and manages the careers of major artists in film, television, commercial endorsements and branded entertainment.

Strategic Businesses

The Company also operates a café-restaurant, Upper West, in the Gangnam district of Seoul and own a professional photography studio, noon pictures Co., Ltd.

For more details, please visit

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