Written by Leti
Kawk Yoseob (Korean: 곽요섭) is a South Korean chief executive officer and songwriter. He is the co-founder of FUSE, formed in 2016, alongside Ayasa Tamura.
History[]
Early life & education[]
Kwak Yoseob was born on July 2, 1975, and raised in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Growing up in a culturally rich neighborhood near the Han River, he developed an early fascination with music and storytelling, influenced by his father, a radio DJ, and his mother, a retired teacher. As a teenager, he taught himself guitar and began writing songs, blending poetic lyrics with experimental melodies inspired by Seoul’s burgeoning pop scene in the 1990s.
Kwak attended Seoul National University, where he majored in Business Administration and minored in Music Composition. During his university years, he formed a short-lived underground rock band named "GutzForFree" with his classmates, performing at local venues.
Career[]
1998-2016: Early years & FUSE[]
Kwak’s professional career began in 1998, at age 23, when he started contributing lyrics to local artists under a pseudonym, a side gig he maintained through high school. After university, he joined a mid-tier entertainment agency as a junior songwriter in 1999, working behind the scenes for several second-generation K-pop acts. His early hits included upbeat dance tracks and heartfelt ballads, earning him a reputation for versatility and emotional depth.
In 2005, Kwak transitioned into a managerial role at the same agency, where he oversaw artist development and production. His knack for identifying raw talent and crafting their artistic identities led to promotions, but he grew frustrated with the industry’s rigid structures and formulaic output, leading to parting ways with the company. During this period, he met Ayasa Tamura, a Japanese producer with a shared vision for a more artist-centric approach.
In 2016, Kwak and Tamura co-founded FUSE, headquartered in Tokyo with a Seoul satellite office, aiming to merge J-pop and K-pop into a fresh model. As CEO, Kwak drove the company’s direction, blending his songwriting roots with managerial expertise.