David Yong is not your typical K-Pop artist. He’s a Singaporean powerhouse who built a multi-country business empire with a net worth north of $10 million, all before signing with RBW in August 2022. But his journey into K-Pop isn’t a simple pivot; it’s a fascinating blend of ambition, passion, and strategic vision that led to his unique “influencer CEO” role – part artist, part brand ambassador, and entirely groundbreaking.
From Boardroom to Stage: David Yong’s Unexpected K-Pop Path
Long before the bright lights of Seoul, David Yong was already preparing for a life beyond a single career. He trained in law, took over his father’s timber-trading company, and transformed it into Evergreen Group Holdings, spanning real estate, finance, and lifestyle branding. Yet, surprisingly, his vocal training under veteran Pan Xiu Qiong began when he was just eighteen, years before K-Pop entered the picture. This crucial detail complicates any easy read of him as merely a businessman dabbling in music. “The music, he says, was never the surprise to him. It was the surprise to everyone else.”
His entry into the K-Pop world was pure fan-first magic. It started with a powerful BIGBANG concert experience, then deepened significantly after bringing his brother and friends to a TWICE show in 2017. He describes these moments as showing “how different forms of music can unite fans from all over the world, and that magical feeling is one that I’ll never forget.” By 2021, he had fully committed, relocating to Seoul to learn Korean on a compressed timeline, replacing his decade-long networking circuit with a demanding schedule of vocal and dance training. This intensive period culminated in a series of releases: “My Way” for the *School 2021* OST, his debut single “In My Pocket” with Kid Milli, and the Top 10 collaboration “Maybe Love” with MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul. Each project, he reflects, was less “gruelling than clarifying,” offering a crash course in the unseen labor behind every finished track.
Behind the Glamour: The Hard Work of a K-Pop Artist
The K-Pop world thrives on polished perfection, but as David Yong reveals, immense effort underpins the glamour. “A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes, and this sometimes goes on for years,” he states, drawing a parallel to his early vocal training. This appreciation for unseen dedication only deepened during his K-Pop productions. While shooting “My Way” took 36 hours and “In My Pocket” a staggering 30, he found the intensity “within what I expected,” gaining a “newfound appreciation for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.”
Learning Korean rapidly was another challenge, described as “on-the-joe” due to the tight timeline. He credits “many helpful and patient colleagues” for assisting him. This wasn’t about swapping out old routines, but rather “adding these new responsibilities on top of my existing ones.” He had to master focus and time management, even at the cost of his social life. When it came to collaborating with an established idol like Moonbyul, he highlights the “teamwork and chemistry” as crucial for creating a song they were all proud of, showing his deep respect for the collaborative nature of the industry.
The “Influencer CEO”: A New Era in K-Pop Contracts
David Yong’s deal with RBW is a testament to the evolving K-Pop landscape, built around an “influencer CEO” role rather than a standard artist contract. This innovative model positions him as “part artist, part brand ambassador, part case study in how far a K-pop contract can stretch.” He sees this role’s functionality as highly adaptable, depending “on the agency, and how the influencer CEO role is designed.” The core, he explains, is ensuring “everyone grows together and becomes better versions of themselves.”
The intersection of his business acumen and artistic pursuits is further evident in Evergreen’s distribution deal with RBW. He emphasizes clear boundaries: “the distribution is purely on the business side of things. I steer clear from giving input on anything creatively in this aspect.” This pragmatic approach allows him to leverage his strengths without complicating creative processes.
Investing in the Future: K-Pop and Beyond
Yong’s commitment to the K-Pop ecosystem extends beyond his artist role. In 2023, he invested roughly ₩10 billion into Attrakt, home to FIFTY FIFTY. His motivation for taking a financial stake in an agency rather than staying purely on the artist side stems from a clear distinction: “Being an investor versus an influencer CEO is very different. Being an investor is something that Attrakt and I agreed worked best for us at that point of time.”
Looking ahead, his company Power Entertainment secured a deal in 2026 to represent Sandara Park across Southeast Asia as she launched her independent label, ARADNAS. For Yong, supporting an artist’s independent era means focusing on “the music and messages that she wants to convey to fans.” He acknowledges Sandara’s “iconic career spanning over two decades” and aims to help her realize her artistic vision on her own terms.
A Mindset Without Limits
David Yong embodies the philosophy of not limiting oneself to a single lane. He attributes this mindset to the “multiple cultures, countries and industries” he’s been fortunate enough to experience over the years. This journey has led him to believe that “exploring is one of the best ways to find the most authentic and happiest version of yourself.” For K-Pop fans, David Yong’s story is an inspiring reminder that passion, hard work, and an open mind can indeed create new paths, even in the most competitive industries.
