Kakao Entertainment will keep the victories rolling in the international music scene in 2025, with its labels and partners gearing up to debut and promote new talent to change the game. Like IU and IVE ― who contributed to the visible expansion of Kakao Entertainment’s music business in 2024 with their global activities including world tours ― rookie artists like KiiiKiii from Starship Entertainment and dearALICE from SM & Kakao Entertainment America are seeking to take the world by storm and write new history.
Kakao Entertainment covers the full spectrum of music business from production to distribution to streaming, while operating a multi-label system to join forces with some of the most influential K-pop labels. These labels include: Starship Entertainment (home to K-pop groups Monsta X, IVE), Edam Entertainment (IU), and Antenna (KYUHYUN, Dragon Pony). It also maintains close ties with its partner, SM Entertainment (NCT, aespa and RIIZE).
In 2025, Kakao Entertainment plans to cement its position as a key player in the global K-pop scene by enhancing its multi-label system through systematic support and developing globally influential intellectual properties (IP) via collaborations with various partners. To achieve this, it will continue to discover new singers and showcase them on the global stage and diversify the musical activities of its existing artists to strengthen their international fandom.
KiiiKiii (Starship Entertainment)
Spearheading the 2025 rookie lineup is “IVE’s sister group” ― KiiiKiii from Starship Entertainment. The company recently electrified fans by announcing the debut of this new girl group, about four years after the launch of IVE in 2021. Now, all eyes are on the fresh act that is expected to become a new “wannabe icon” for the young generation worldwide. Brimming with a Gen-Z vibe, KiiiKiii has already demonstrated its visual creativity through different teaser photos and videos unveiled on Instagram, X and TikTok, unfolding a cohesive narrative across multiple channels. Although the specifics of its debut plan have been kept under wraps, KiiiKiii is already generating significant buzz for its unique artistic vision.
Since 2024, Starship Entertainment has solidified its multi-producing and management systems to provide unwavering support to all artists under its roof. The company operates three divisions to maintain the unique identity of each artist, promote both their domestic and international activities and build synergies. Division 1 is home to K.will, Monsta X and IVE, while Division 2 manages WJSN and CRAVITY. KiiiKiii is handled by Division 3.
Dragon Pony (Antenna)
Dragon Pony, a boy band from Antenna that debuted in September, is slated to take more stages at home and abroad in 2025, expanding interactions with their fans worldwide. All four members ― vocalist An Tae-gyu, bassist Pyun Sung-hyun, guitarist Kwon Se-hyuk, and drummer Ko Gang-hun ― are skilled musicians with abilities in writing lyrics, composing, and producing. Shortly after its debut in 2024, Dragon Pony commanded the stage at major festivals in Korea, such as the 2024 Busan International Rock Festival and the Grand Mint Festival 2024, while embarking on a nationwide club tour to showcase its unmatched live performance skills. In December, the band also became the talk of the town among Thai fans for its riveting performance at the large-scale local festival, Big Mountain Music Festival. The talented group is set to create more buzz and interact with more fans at the EMERGE FEST 2025 in Taiwan on Feb. 22 and at THE GLOW 2025 in Korea on March 29, captivating them with a band performance embodying the energy of youthful passion.
dearALICE (SM & Kakao Entertainment America)
Another attention-grabbing act in the pipeline is dearALICE, the five-piece British boy band formed by Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment. dearALICE is poised to embark on its adventure to stardom with the release of the debut single, “Ariana” in February. "Ariana" is an electro pop dance track that sings of a complex love for an unattainable woman, encapsulating dearALICE's exploration of love. Prior to its official debut, the band premiered the song during the “SMTOWN LIVE 2025 [THE CULTURE, THE FUTURE] in SEOUL” held last month at Gocheok Sky Dome, enthralling the audience with its musical prowess and energy.
Notably, Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment recently formed a strategic global alliance with the US label gamma., which has partnered with superstars like USHER and Snoop Dogg. The alliance will cooperate across all spheres for the production and distribution of dearALICE’s debut single, as well as its marketing and brand partnerships. The band is slated to conduct a range of musical activities not only in the UK, but also in Europe, North America, Asia and beyond.
Hearts2Hearts (SM Entertainment)
Kakao Entertainment’s close business partner, SM Entertainment, also plans to have a big year with its much-awaited rookie artists. Its new eight-member girl group Hearts2Hearts is set to roll out its debut single, “The Chase,” on Feb. 24. SMTR25, consisting of the company’s talented male idol trainees, is already building an international fanbase after mesmerizing audiences with their performance skills during the SMTOWN LIVE global tour, which will continue throughout this year.
Regarding its 2025 lineup, Kakao Entertainment said, “We will continue to support our major artists to further amplify their global presence this year, while discovering new talent across diverse genres and bringing them to the international stage. Through these endeavors, we will beef up our competitiveness in the music business, introduce various genres of K-pop to the world, and enhance its global clout.”
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