Min Hee-jin is making a bold move with OOAK. For nearly four hours, a new promotional video appeared every 10 minutes, totaling 23 videos that mapped OOAK Record Shop locations from Seoul to Berlin. There were no artist reveals, no debut announcements, and not even the usual countdown formula. The series concluded with the statement, “Welcome to OOAK Record Shop.”
Rather than introducing a group, this campaign introduced a system. It established an atmosphere, philosophy, and framework before showcasing any of the talent within. In the highly competitive K-pop industry, where identity typically follows debut, this creative branding strategy reversed that order, prioritizing refinement over immediate visibility.
Let’s take a closer look at how Min Hee-jin’s next move could change the artistic and commercial structure of K-pop.
Min Hee-jin & OOAK: From Corporate Creative to Vision-Led Founder
Founded in late 2025 and officially launching its channel in February 2026, OOAK Records positioned itself from day one as a label with a vision and worldview that transcended conventional industry boundaries.
Over the years, Min Hee-jin forged her career within the corporate system, from SM Entertainment to ADOR under HYBE. At ADOR, she didn’t simply produce a girl group. She reconstructed the visual grammar of K-pop through a nostalgia-driven aesthetic and cohesive storytelling.
With OOAK Records, the dynamic has shifted completely. This time, she has moved beyond an existing framework. She’s building her own framework by inviting artists to shape it from within. This role reversal marks a structural shift in how K-pop labels might operate in the future.
OOAK Records Branding Strategy
Unlike traditional K-pop agencies, which debut artists first and define identity later, OOAK introduced its philosophy before announcing its roster.
1. Where Branding Becomes Philosophy
The name OOAK Records contains a subtle play on sounds; when pronounced, it sounds like “okay,” but the letters stand for “Only One Always Known.” There’s a sense of intimacy there, as if the label is speaking to someone familiar.
Visually, the double O in the logo appears as two open circles. In an industry that often measures success by the size of a production, this design choice almost feels like a defiance. Min Hee-jin chooses restraint, and it’s that restraint that speaks louder. The circles aren’t a flaw, but rather a potential.
Within that philosophy, OOAK Records exists as a place where aesthetics are the foundation itself.
2. A Structural Reversal
One of OOAK Records’ boldest moves was structural. The company announced that it would not operate a traditional PR department. This decision immediately distinguished it in an industry where media relations are typically centralized and tightly controlled by entertainment agencies.
This signified a shift in the distribution of power. By eliminating PR intermediaries, OOAK positioned itself as the primary media channel. In other words, the label not only produced artists but also produced its own narrative infrastructure. Instead of filtering announcements through press networks, OOAK communicated directly through its official website, X, and Instagram.
What emerged from this model was a form of media sovereignty: complete control over voice and identity without external dilution. In a digital ecosystem driven by fan interpretation and viral momentum, this approach subtly shifted the audience’s role.
The Risk of a Vision-Driven Model
A label model that relies heavily on creative figures like Min Hee-jin does offer strong differentiation. However, from a business perspective, the stronger the personal identity attached to a company, the greater the structural risks.
Dependence on a Single Visionary Identity
When aesthetic direction, philosophy, and strategic decisions are heavily influenced by a single individual, long-term stability can be fragile. The brand becomes synonymous with the founder’s personal tastes and perspectives. If internal conflict arises, the label can lose its foundation. Therefore, it’s important to remember that consistency of vision, which is difficult for other teams to replicate, is crucial here.
Scalability Challenge
Personal vision often works effectively on a small scale or with curated projects. However, as a label grows, a structured operational system is needed.
The question is:
- Can individual tastes be institutionalized into a system?
- Who continues the creative direction if the founder is no longer directly in charge?
Without a clear succession mechanism, this model risks becoming too centralized.
Pressure on Commercial Results
Idealism must always be met with market reality. No matter how well-crafted a label’s narrative, the K-pop industry is ultimately measured by the number of streams, the speed at which albums sell, the number of seats in each tour city, and the extent to which a label is recognized internationally.
The industry’s structural reality is that growth is driven by its ability to scale art. And in that logic, even a beautiful vision must still prove itself through numbers.
Because if commercial results fall short of expectations, the first thing to be questioned is the legitimacy of the vision itself. Philosophy can distinguish a label from others, but only profitability determines whether a label is still viable in carrying out its philosophy.
A New Chapter in the Making
OOAK may not have a debut artist or a music catalog yet, but their impact is already being felt. In less than 4 hours, the 23 promotional videos have done something rare in the K-pop industry: make the public question the system itself.
What Min Hee-jin is testing next is a creative approach that designs the system before the product is even released, prioritizing refinement and creative branding strategy as the foundation.
Whether this model will succeed will depend on actual results. But one thing is clear: this touted new direction demonstrates that the future of K-pop begins with the way the stage itself is designed.
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