I’ve sometimes used this column as a forum to lament the fact that I’m getting older and writing about past K-poppers might be “way back” to some of you, but for me, all of this seems like it was only yesterday. Just the other day I had an epiphany; instead of being sad that I’m getting fatter and wrinklier, I should be excited about the future as I get wiser and more distinguished and have the chance to take that next step in life. In that spirit, today’s Way Back Wednesday will feature old school idols who took that next step in their career and are still a major influence on this generation of K-pop. Whether they’re running their own company or producing our favorite tunes, they are still influencing what we listen to and are still very muchin the game.

Teddy

Chances are that if you’re a fan of any of the artists ofYG Entertainmentthen at some point you’ve heard a song that was either written or produced by YG’s main producer,Teddy. His work withBig Bang,Se7en,2NE1, and more recentlyLee Hihave been hugely popular and his music has been instrumental in K-pop’s growth internationally. While Teddy initially gained eternal K-pop glory as the leader of legendary1TYM, his second career as a music creator has been very low key with little public face time. I for one would love to see more of him but let’s just hope the hits keep on coming.

Rain/Tony An/Andy Lee/Eric Mun

While each of the members of this group are still active in the music industry, it’s their roles as producers and company heads that have them on this distinguished list.RainformedJ.Tune Entertainmentin 2007 and helped createMBLAQ(J.Tunes has now merged withJYP Entertainment).Tony AncreatedTN Entertainmentand while his boy bandSmashweren’t so smashing, the company is home to some of Korea’s most popular stars.Andy, under the roof ofT.O.P Entertainmentproduced the successful groupTeen Top, andErictried his hand at the world of girl groups withStellarunder hisTop Class Entertainmentand is also co-CEO ofShinhwa CompanywithLee Min Woo. There are so many small labels in Korea fighting it out for a small piece of the pie but it’s good to see past idols leveraging their experiences to help the current crop of K-pop stars.

BoA

BoAmight not run her own company but she has just as much, if not more influence on today’s K-pop scene than any other former teen idol talent. Ask any current K-pop girl group member (and probably some boy band members as well) and I’ll bet that at least 4 out of 5 will tell you that BoA was a huge inspiration and one of the reasons they wanted to become a singer. She’s only 26 years old but her career has already spanned thirteen years and she’s now the 3rd longest tenured member atSM Entertainment. She broke new ground in Japan and Asia, she’s a fashion leader and trendsetter, and these days she’s molding the next generation of idols on the popular show‘K-pop Star 2′. She is still a major part of K-pop and I don’t think she’s anywhere near done yet.

Kangta

Since we just mentioned the 3rd longest tenured member ofSM Entertainment, we might as well mention the 2nd and that would be formerH.O.Tlead singer and current ‘The Voice Korea’ judge,Kangta. Like Boa, I’m sure that his impact on today’s K-pop industry probably started about seventeen years ago as the lead singer of the ever popular H.O.T. Who knows how many singers began their dream while watching Kangta on TV, hoping one day to be on that stage. Kangta also holds a director position at SM Entertainment and while that may or may not be a formality, there’s no question that his influence is still being felt and that his role as a mentor to the younger generation can only be a good thing.

Hyori

The princessLee Hyori. While she has started her own company, Hyori is on this list as a pure entertainer. She is still pushing the boundaries and is always on the leading edge of what’s hot in K-pop. Ever since she dropped her solo album back in 2003 she helped set the bar for all performers, both male and female alike. Her time as a member ofFin.K.L.made her supremely popular but it was her foray as a solo artist that made her a true icon. She became one of the most sought after TV hosts and celebrity spokesperson (sorryHyunA,Hyorin, andHara… you guys just don’t cut it) and her private life became more interesting than the actual news. While times are changing and there’s a new crop of stars in K-pop, there is no question that Lee Hyori isn’t just in the game, she still is the game.