Kakao Entertainment has firmly established itself as a titan within the South Korean entertainment sector. The company's varied collection of subsidiaries has allowed it to play a pivotal role in sculpting both the K-pop and broader Korean entertainment scenes.
Let's delve into the numerous South Korean record labels that operate as subsidiaries under the extensive Kakao Entertainment conglomerate.
1. Starship Entertainment
Starship Entertainment is one of the most renowned agencies under Kakao Entertainment. It was founded in 2008. The agency has nurtured and produced some of the popular and talented K-pop groups, including IVE, MONSTA X, Cosmic Girls, and CRAVITY.
2. IST Entertainment
IST Entertainment, formerly known as Play M Entertainment, is another prominent agency under Kakao Entertainment. The agency was originally founded in 2011 as A Cube Entertainment. It is home to popular groups such as Apink, Weeekly, THE BOYZ, VICTON, etc.
3. EDAM Entertainment
EDAM Entertainment is one of the popular subsidiaries of Kakao Entertainment. The agency is responsible for managing WOODZ and the renowned South Korean artist IU. It was founded in 2020 by Bae Jong Han, who has been IU’s manager for many years.
4. Bluedot Entertainment
Bluedot Entertainment is another entertainment agency under Kakao Entertainment. It was founded on January 30, 2021. This company is in charge of managing the K-pop boy group JUST B. Prior to their debut, JUST B went by the name Bluedot Boys.
5. Antenna Music
Antenna Music, renowned for its emphasis on music, is a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment. It was originally founded in 1997 as an independent label. Antenna Music houses singer-songwriters like Sam Kim, Kwon Jin-ah, Jung Seung-hwan, and many others.
6. Highup Entertainment
Highup Entertainment is an entertainment agency founded by producer duo Black Eyed Pilseung in 2017. In June 2021, Kakao Entertainment acquired the agency, making it a subsidiary of the company. Currently, STAYC is the only group under the agency.
7. FLEX M
FLEX M is a record label and entertainment agency under Kakao Entertainment, specializing in ballads. The label is known for being producer-centered, with a focus on the creation of music, such as OSTs, through partnerships with dramas and films.
SM Entertainment is not a subsidiary of Kakao but Kakao invested heavily into SM and is now the largest shareholder. The agencies under Kakao Entertainment have played a pivotal role in the evolution of the Korean entertainment industry. From nurturing K-pop sensations to promoting diverse musical genres, these agencies have consistently pushed boundaries and contributed to the global popularity of Korean entertainment.
People talk about Hybe monopoly, when they really should look at what else Kakao is associated with. They own music streaming site, have a major year end award associated with them, and more importantly, they have been suspected and investigated for their news coverage of various musical acts. They're being investigated for their disporportionate reporting of Garam bullying case, whose group was a direct competition to their own group. There's no separation there and their needs to be scrutiny to ensure they are not illegally promoting their music labels.
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