Article: Top 10 Entertainment Agencies Of The K-Pop World

Almost every single one of your favourite idol groups, soloists, producers, actors, and actresses are signed under an agency. Here is a list of 10 entertainment agencies that have been deemed as the absolute best in the K-pop world.

1. SM Entertainment

Established in 1995 by record-executive and record-producer Lee Soo Man, SM Entertainment is a multinational entertainment company. SM Entertainment is famously known for its contributions to the 'Hallyu Wave' with its early overseas mega-hits with H.O.T., S.E.S., and BoA. The entertainment company has been deemed as one of the Big 3 entertainment companies in South Korea. The entertainment company currently represents k-pop groups such as SHINee, TVXQ, Girls Generation, EXO, Aespa, and NCT. SM has also represented artists like Shinhwa, Fly To The Sky, TtaxX, and Henry Lau. The workings of SM Entertainment aren’t limited to only music and so it houses some pretty famous actors as well including Yoo Ho Jeong, Ki Do Hun, Kim Min Jong, and Lee Yeon Ryong.

 

2. JYP Entertainment

JYP Entertainment was founded in 1997 by producer and singer, J.Y. Park. It originally began its operations under the name of Taehong Planning and changed its name to its current one in 2001. The JYP in JYP Entertainment stands for Jin Young Park. TWICE, Stray Kids, and ITZY, are just some of the many celebrities signed under JYP Entertainment. Due to its high sales and revenues, JYP falls into the list of the most successful agencies in South Korea. JYP’s involvement and contribution in the ‘Hallyu Wave’ have deemed it to be one of the Big 3 entertainment companies in South Korea.

 

3. YG Entertainment

Home to the popular Sep Tae Ji and Boys, YG Entertainment was established by Yang Hyun Suk. YG Entertainment has been a significant player in the popularisation of hip-hop music in Korea. YG has been home to some of the most popular and most respected K-pop acts like 1TYM and Jinusean, while it currently houses globally successful acts like BIGBANG and BlackPink. The YG family also includes well-known actors and actresses including Jeong Hye Young and Ku Hye Sun. The company has created a friendly atmosphere wherein ideas and thoughts are freely exchanged between the various members of the YG Family.

 

4. HYBE

Originally founded in 2005 by Bang Si Hyuk as BigHit Entertainment, HYBE (new name since 2021) is an entertainment company. Back in 2010, JYP and then BigHit, signed a joint contract for the management of the boy group 2PM. Currently, phenomenal sensations such as BTS, TXT, Seventeen, GFRIEND, and Enhypen are signed under HYBE and its subsidiary branches.

 

5. Starship Entertainment

Founded on 28 January 2008 by Kim Si Dae, Seo Hyun Joo, and Kim Young-Suk, Starship Entertainment is an entertainment company. It is a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment and is popularly known for its contributions to the ‘Hallyu Wave’. It is home to some of the most popular k-pop groups and soloists, including Monsta X, Cravity, Cosmic Girls, K.Will, Brother Su, and Yoo Seung Woo. Starship also holds management contracts for actors under its subsidiary label King Kong.

 

6. CUBE Entertainment

CUBE Entertainment was established by Hong Seung Sung (Former President of JYP Entertainment) and Shin Jung Hwa, in the year 2006. CUBE’s first two groups to debut were the girl group 4Minute (June 2009) and the boy group BEAST (October 2009). Currently, BtoB, CLC, G-IDLE, and Pentagon are signed under CUBE, among many other soloists, producers, and actors.

 

7. AOMG

AOMG is an R&B and hip-hop record label. It was founded in 2013 by Jay Park. AOMG represents many artists such as Simon Dominic, Lee Hi, Gray, Yugyeom (ex-member of GOT7), and Loco. In 2014, Simon Dominic had announced that he had joined AOMG as an artist and as the Co-CEO. He resigned from the post of Co-CEO in July 2018. CJ E&M and AOMG signed a strategic partnership with each other, under which CJ E&M would help AOMG with its marketing and distribution, while AOMG would keep complete control over the music production of its artists.

 

8. KQ Entertainment

KQ Entertainment, established in 2016 by Kim Gyu Uk, is an entertainment company that currently manages the soloist Heo Young Saeng and the idol group ATEEZ. KQ acquired the label Seven Seasons, which manages Block B in 2016, as a subsidiary. Another subsidiary under KQ is KQ Produce.

 

9. FNC Entertainment

FNC Entertainment was established on 14 December 2006 by Han Seong Ho as a subsidiary label under MNet Media. Until 2012, FNC Entertainment operated under the name of FNC Music. The FNC in the name of the company stands for ‘Fish and Cake’. FNC currently manages idol groups such as SF9, P1Harmony, and Cherry Bullet along with soloists such as Hong Gi, J.Don, and Yonghwa. FNC Entertainment also manages various popular actors and actresses including Jung Hae In (lead actor in 2021 released drama Snowdrop).

 

10. Fantagio Entertainment

Fantagio Entertainment was founded and established as NOA (Network Of Asia) Entertainment in September 2008. The company name was officially changed in June 2011 to its current one, Fantagio Entertainment. Currently, extremely popular idol groups and soloists such as ASTRO, Weki Meki, and

Ong Seong Wo are signed under Fantagio. In 2011, Fantagio founded Madin Entertainment, its acting management supervision. As of now, it manages some well-known actors and actresses, including Cha Eun Woo (member of ASTRO).