ALL’N Is Betting Everything On Himself
- K Fuse
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Most K-Pop artists spend years preparing for their debut. ALL’N spent those years preparing for a debut while simultaneously building the company that would make it possible. As the founder and CEO of SKS entertainment, the violin-driven soloist occupies a unique position within the industry. He isn’t simply responsible for his performances, recordings, and promotions. He’s also involved in the business decisions, partnerships, operations, and long-term vision guiding the company behind his career.
It’s a balancing act that many artists would find overwhelming. For ALL’N, it’s simply part of the dream. “I am all in,” he tells K Fuse–letting us know that this is the sole foundation of his identity as an artist.
Known professionally as ALL’N, the soloist built his name around the philosophy of complete commitment. His Korean name, 올린, also carries a more personal connection, drawing inspiration from the final characters of 바이올린, the Korean word for violin. Together, the names represent the two forces that have shaped his journey: unwavering determination and a lifelong relationship with the instrument that first entered his life through an unexpected challenge from his older brother.
Long before his music show stages and executive meetings became part of his daily life, ALL’N was simply a younger brother sitting in on violin lessons. His older brother had started learning the instrument first, and for nearly a year, ALL’N accompanied his mother to lessons, quietly observing from the sidelines. Week after week, he listened as the instructor repeated the same corrections, reminding his brother to straighten his wrist and keep his bow aligned. Eventually, frustration got the better of him. After hearing the same feedback for what felt like the hundredth time, he finally spoke up.
“The teacher has been telling you this already.”
His brother’s response would unknowingly change the course of his life.
“If it’s so easy, why don’t you try?”
The challenge was impossible to resist.
“The beautiful thing about having an older brother is that you’re always competing with each other,” ALL’N explains. “You always want to be better at something.”
The following week, he began violin lessons of his own. What started as a sibling rivalry gradually evolved into something much more meaningful. Over the years, the violin became a constant companion through different chapters of his life, eventually transforming into the centerpiece of the artistic identity he presents today. That identity stands at the heart of EVERYTHING ALL’N hopes to accomplish. For many artists, incorporating a violin into a song might be viewed as a creative flourish or a special feature. For ALL’N, it is far more personal than that.
“The violin is not a prop for me,” he says. “It is not something I randomly added to look different. It is part of who I am.” That conviction became the foundation of his debut single, “WE UP.” Released earlier this year, the track serves as both an introduction and a declaration of purpose. Through a fusion of violin, rap, vocals, choreography, and high-energy K-Pop performance, ALL’N sought to introduce listeners to every side of himself at once. The song reflects not only his musical influences but also the resilience that carried him through years of preparation.
“The message of ‘WE UP’ is about rising together,” he shares. While the song carries a confident energy, its meaning runs deeper than simple self-assurance. It is rooted in the experience of continuing to move forward even when others fail to see your vision.
“It wasn’t just saying ‘I am going up,’” he explains. “We are going up.” That distinction matters. Throughout his career, ALL’N has consistently emphasized the people who supported iim before the opportunity arrived. Fans, collaborators, mentors, and friends all play a role in the story he tells through his music. Success, in his eyes, is rarely achieved alone. Long before his Korean debut, ALL’N gained valuable experience competing on Season 1 of Youth With You, one of China’s largest idol survival programs. Surrounded by approximately one hundred highly skilled trainees selected through extensive auditions, he was pushed to develop not only as a performer, but as an artist capable of thriving under immense pressure.
The experience introduced him to nearly every aspect of the entertainment industry. Cameras followed contestants constantly. Interviews became as important as the performances. Every interaction, rehearsal, and evaluation carried a heavy weight. Most importantly, it taught him how many moving pieces contribute to a successful career. “I learned how hard you have to practice, how cameras work, how important communication is, and how every small detail matters in K-Pop,” he recalls.
Those lessons would later prove invaluable as he stepped into a role few artists ever experience. Running SKS Entertainment while simultaneously launching his own career has required a level of discipline that extends far beyond music. On any given day, ALL’N may move from recording vocals to rehearsing choreography to handling legal documents, partnership discussions, operation decisions, and long-term planning. Time, he says, has become his most valuable asset. Yet despite the challenges, he views his dual role as an advantage rather than a burden.
As both artist and CEO, he maintains a level of creative freedom rarely afforded within traditional entertainment structures. While he values collaboration and credits the teams around him for helping bring his ideas to life, he also has the ability to protect the core vision behind his work. That vision extends beyond his own career. Looking forward, ALL’N hopes SKS Entertainment will become a home for artists whose talents and stories don’t necessarily fit the industry’s traditional mold.
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