Live Agency Selection Guide
Whether you really need an agency, how to tell the good ones from the ones that won't manage you, what to ask in the interview — a full decision guide for before and after signing.
Do you really need an agency?
Straight to the point: most new and small streamers do not need an agency from the start. There is a specific point where an agency becomes valuable.
- ▸Stable monthly payouts of ₩3M+ for 6+ months (management cost is recoverable)
- ▸You're at a stage where you need tools like platform backstage data and LIVE Boost
- ▸Multiple sponsorship and ad offers are coming in and you can't handle negotiation and contracts yourself
- ▸Expanding to overseas markets and needing local networks and language support
- ▸Less than 6 months into live streaming (validate your content and audience first)
- ▸Monthly payout under ₩1M (after commission you'll have almost nothing left)
- ▸Vague motivation like 'I want to get famous' (an agency is not a magician)
- ▸You want freedom to experiment with content (exclusive contracts limit that freedom)
Good ones vs ones that won't manage you
The most common host complaint is "they treated me great before signing, then left me alone after." The signals are already visible in pre-contract conversations.
✓ 7 good signals
✗ 7 bad signals
10 questions to ask in the interview
If the agency dodges or vaguely answers any of these questions, treat that item as a weak point. Take notes on the answers and compare across agencies.
- 1How many hosts do you currently manage, and what's the distribution by category?
- 2Of new hosts you signed in the past 6 months, what percentage averaged ₩1M+ monthly payout?
- 3Can you show me concrete data (viewers, diamonds, growth curve) for the most successful host in my category?
- 4How many hosts does each manager handle?
- 5How frequent are regular meetings, and in what format (phone, video, in person)?
- 6Please specify contract term, exclusivity, termination conditions, and penalty fees
- 7Please list every cost item beyond commission (operating fees, event participation fees, etc.)
- 8What's the payout schedule, and how are FX and fees handled?
- 9Does the agency also take from sponsorship and ad revenue outside of live? At what rate?
- 10May I contact 2-3 of your current hosts directly to hear their feedback?
Already signed but they won't manage you?
If you're already under contract and the agency isn't delivering the management and support they promised, a staged response is needed.
- Step 1
File a formal complaint
Send a formal email or KakaoTalk message to the agency summarizing concrete issues (missed meetings, undisclosed data, no sponsorship matches). Specify a response deadline (e.g. within 7 days).
- Step 2
Get an improvement commitment
If the agency apologizes and promises improvement, get concrete KPIs (e.g. 1 meeting per month, 1 sponsorship match per quarter) and deadlines in writing. In a form like email that leaves a record.
- Step 3
Monitor execution
Monitor whether the promised KPIs are met for 30-90 days. If they fail again, you have grounds for contract breach (default of obligation).
- Step 4
Negotiate termination or take legal action
Check the termination clause in the contract → negotiate the penalty. If the agency clearly breached the contract, the penalty can be waived or reduced. Consult a lawyer if needed.
Also read the truths agencies won't tell you
An article covering 7 things agencies don't actively share — commission negotiability, double FX loss on diamonds, US vs Korea viewer value differences, and more.
7 truths agencies won't tell you →Frequently Asked Questions
Do new streamers actually need an agency?▾
Usually not. If you've been live under 6 months and net under KRW 1M/month, agency fees eat almost everything you make. Agencies start to pay off only when ① you have a stable KRW 3M+/month payout for 6+ months, ② you need backstage analytics or LIVE Boost, ③ sponsorship/ad offers are coming in faster than you can handle, or ④ you're expanding overseas and need local network and language support.
How do I tell a great agency from one that will neglect me?▾
Good signs: concrete KPI commitments, transparent host pool and track record, willingness to admit weaknesses, contract shared in advance, all fees disclosed upfront, regular 1:1 meetings, reasonable termination terms. Bad signs: cold DM/phone sales, pressure to sign immediately, vague fee structure, 1-year+ exclusivity with heavy penalties from day one, 100+ hosts per manager, fuzzy success stories, blocking access to existing hosts. The most telling signal is whether they keep paying attention to you after signing.
What are the 3 must-ask interview questions?▾
① Hosts managed per individual manager (5–10 is healthy; 100+ means you'll be ignored). ② Out of streamers signed in the last 6 months, what % are earning over KRW 1M/month? (real performance metric). ③ Can I talk directly with 2–3 of your current hosts? (a flat no is a red flag). Any answer that gets evasive points to a real weak spot.
I already signed and they're not managing me — what now?▾
Run a 4-step playbook. Step 1: Send a formal email/messenger note listing specific failures (skipped meetings, no data sharing, no sponsorship matching) with a response deadline (e.g., 7 days). Step 2: If they promise improvements, get specific KPIs (1 meeting/month, 1 sponsorship/quarter) in writing. Step 3: Monitor compliance for 30–90 days. Step 4: If they still fail, you have grounds for breach-of-contract → negotiate down or void the penalty, or consult a lawyer. Documented breaches on their side usually give you leverage to escape penalties.
The penalty is KRW 20M — can I still terminate?▾
Yes, if the agency's breach is clear. Once you prove non-performance, penalties can be waived or sharply reduced — your strongest evidence is a paper trail showing they failed promised management (meetings, data, sponsorship matching). A KRW 100K–200K legal consult (~30 min) often leads to settlements at less than half the original penalty. But if you breached the contract yourself (violating exclusivity, streaming on other platforms), you'll likely pay the full amount.
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