IST Entertainment (Hangul: 아이에스티엔터테인먼트) is a South Korean entertainment company under

Kakao Entertainment Kakao Entertainment Corp. (), stylized as kakao ENTERTAINMENT, is a South Korean entertainment, mass media, and publishing company founded in 2021. A subsidiary of the internet company Kakao, it was established subsequent to the merger of the la ...

History

Plan A Entertainment

In 2011, A Cube Entertainment was established as an independent label of

Cube Entertainment Cube Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean entertainment company. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house. Cube are known for h ...

. A Cube signed its first solo artist

Huh Gak Huh Gak (; born November 15, 1984) is a South Korean singer. He rose to fame after winning the 2010 Mnet talent competition series ''Superstar K 2,'' during which he became known as "the Korean Paul Potts." Early life and education Huh Gak wa ...

and launched girl group

Apink Apink ( ko, 에이핑크, ja, エーピンク) is a South Korean girl group formed by IST Entertainment (formerly Play M Entertainment, A Cube Entertainment, and Plan A Entertainment). The group debuted on April 19, 2011, with the extended play ...

, which was made up from former Cube Entertainment trainees. In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment (later

Kakao M Kakao M (; formerly Seoul Records, YBM Seoul Records and LOEN Entertainment) was a South Korean entertainment company established by Min Yeong-bin in 1978. It is currently one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea. The company op ...

and then

) acquired 70% of the entire label and subsequently absorbed it as an independent subsidiary. The label announced in March 2016 that it has been renamed Plan A Entertainment since it was no longer affiliated with Cube Entertainment. It launched its first boy group

Victon Victon ( ko, 빅톤; stylized as VICTON, an acronym for Voice to New World) is a South Korean boy group formed in 2016 by IST Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Han Seung-woo, Kang Seung-sik, Lim Se-jun, Do Han-se, Choi Byung- ...

in November that year. In early 2018, Plan A Entertainment acquired Kakao M's actor agency E&T Story Entertainment, owning 60% of the agency's shares. In the following months, Choi Jin-ho (founder and co-CEO) resigned and 30% of the remaining shares were sold for 3.51 billion won. As a result, it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kakao M.

Fave Entertainment

Fave Entertainment was originally founded in 2012 as LOEN Tree, to manage LOEN Entertainment's recording artists. It was spun-off as a separate subsidiary label in 2016 and renamed Fave Entertainment. Artists who were transferred to Fave Entertainment included

Fiestar Fiestar ( ko, 피에스타) was a South Korean girl group formed by Kakao M. Before the group's debut, they released a duet with label mate IU titled “Sea of Moonlight” for LOEN Entertainment's collective label album. The track ended up be ...

History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

, IU and

Sunny Hill Sunny Hill (Hangul: ) is a South Korean girl group (formerly a co-ed group) formed in 2007 by For Everyone Media. The group consists of Bitna, Kota, Eunju and Geonhee. Janghyun left the group in 2014 and Jubi and Misung left the group in 2019. ...

. Its trainees have notably featured in '' MIXNINE,

Under Nineteen Under Nineteen () is a survival show on Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation for trainees under the age of 19 years old. There are a total of 57 contestants competing to debut as a member of 1THE9. The trainees are put into groups that specializes i ...

,'' and ''Produce 101''. In October 2018, the label announced its upcoming girl group, temporarily known as "Fave Girls".

Cre.ker Entertainment

Cre.ker Entertainment is a record label founded by Kakao Entertainment (formerly LOEN Entertainment) in 2014, the label is home to artist groups Melody Day and

The Boyz Boyz or The Boyz may refer to: Music Bands * The Boyz (German band), a German boy band of the 1990s *The Boyz (American band), an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, established in 1975 *The Boyz (South Korean band), a South Korean ...

2019–present: Merged agency would be IST Entertainment

On February 13, 2019, Kakao Entertainment released a statement that Plan A Entertainment and Fave Entertainment would be merging on April 1. Plan A Entertainment, being the surviving entity in the merger, was renamed Play M Entertainment and absorbed Fave Entertainment's assets and remaining artists, including trainees. In May 2020, it was announced that "Fave Girls", who became "Play M Girls" following the merger, would be debuting in June as

Weeekly Weeekly ( ko, 위클리) is a South Korean girl group under IST Entertainment (formerly Play M Entertainment). The group is Play M Entertainment's second girl group in 10 years, after Apink. The group consists of six members: Lee Soo-jin, Mond ...

. It is the company's first girl group since Apink. On September 17, 2021, Kakao Entertainment announced that Play M Entertainment and Cre.ker Entertainment would be merging in the future. On November 12, 2021, it was announced that the company's new corporate name would be IST Entertainment, which took in effect on November 1. On February 7, 2022, IST Entertainment announced the debut of a new boy group in the second half of the year through a reality competition show, ''

The Origin – A, B, Or What? ''The Origin – A, B, Or What?'' () is a 2022 survival program created by IST Entertainment in association with its parent company, Kakao Entertainment, and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It aired on MBN, Kakao TV and 1theK YouTube channel on ...

''. The show premiered on March 19, 2022. On the finale episode aired on May 7, 2022, it was announced that the final 7 will debut as

ATBO ATBO ( ko, 에이티비오; an acronym for At The Beginning of Originality) is a South Korean boy group formed in 2022 through IST Entertainment's survival competition '' The Origin – A, B, Or What?''. The group is composed of seven members: Oh ...

, and will debut in July 27. On April 11, 2022, IST Entertainment and

Universal Music Japan , often referred to as just Universal Music Japan or UMJ, is a Japanese subsidiary of the Universal Music Group founded in 1990. It is the largest subsidiary for a foreign company in the country regarding music distribution. The company is resp ...

announced the foundation of their joint venture label, "Universal Music IST".

Artists

Groups *

Bandage A bandage is a piece of material used either to support a medical device such as a dressing or splint, or on its own to provide support to or to restrict the movement of a part of the body. When used with a dressing, the dressing is applie ...

Soloists *

Jeong Eun-ji Jung Eun-ji (born Jeong Hye-rim, on August 18, 1993), better known mononymously as Eunji, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actress, radio DJ, musical actress, and voice actress. She is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group ...

Oh Ha-young Oh Ha-young (born July 19, 1996), better known by the mononym Hayoung, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group Apink. Life and career 1996–2011: Early life and debut with Apink Oh ...

* Han Seung-woo * Kim Nam-joo *

Do Han-se Do Han-se ( ko, 도한세, born September 25, 1997), also known mononymously as Hanse, is a South Korean rapper, singer and songwriter. He debuted as a member of South Korean group Victon in 2016. He debuted with his solo album ''Blaze'' on Sept ...

Notable trainees * Huening Bahiyyih (

Kep1er Kep1er (; ) is a South Korean girl group formed through the Mnet reality survival competition show ''Girls Planet 999'' in 2021 and managed by Swing Entertainment and Wake One Entertainment. The group is composed of nine members: Kim Chae-hyun, ...

)

Former artists

IST Entertainment

** Lim Hyeong-bin (2020–2022) *

** Shin Ji-yoon (2020–2022) *

** Heo Chan (2016–2022)

Former label

A Cube Entertainment / Plan A Entertainment / Play M Entertainment *

** Hong Yoo-kyung (2011–2013) **

Son Na-eun Son Na-eun (; born February 10, 1994), known mononymously as Naeun, is a South Korean singer and actress. She gained popularity following her debut as a member of the South Korean girl group, Apink. Apart from her group's activities, Son has al ...

(2011–2021) * Lim Ji-min (2019–2021) *

(2011–2021) Cre.ker Entertainment * Melody Day (2014–2018) ** Yeo Eun (2014–2018) ** Yoo Min (2014–2018) ** Ye In (2014–2018) ** Cha Hee (2014–2018) *

** Hwall (2017–2019) E&T Story Entertainment * Park Han-deul * Kim Ye-eun * Go Na-hee * Ahn Soo-min * Shin Hyeon-Seung (2020-2021) * Jung Soo-hyun *

Kim So-hyun Kim So-hyun (; born June 4, 1999) is a South Korean actress who began her career as a child in 2006, initially gaining public attention for playing pivotal roles in ''Moon Embracing the Sun'' (2012) and '' Missing You'' (2013). She took on he ...

(2017–2021) LOEN Tree / Fave Entertainment * KRun *

Park Ji-yoon Park Ji-yoon (Hangul: 박지윤; Hanja: 朴志胤; born January 3, 1982) is a South Korean singer, actress, and model. As a teen model, she gained wide exposure after starring in a Haitai biscuit commercial in 1994, and held a minor role in th ...

(1997–1999) *

Gain Gain or GAIN may refer to: Science and technology * Gain (electronics), an electronics and signal processing term * Antenna gain * Gain (laser), the amplification involved in laser emission * Gain (projection screens) * Information gain in de ...

(2011–2013) * Mario (2011–2013) *

(2011–2017) *

(2012–2018) **Cheska (2012–2014) **Jei (2012–2018) **Linzy (2012–2018) **Hyemi (2012–2018) **

Yezi Lee Ye-ji (born August 26, 1994), better known by her stage name Yezi, is a South Korean rapper and singer. She debuted as a member of South Korean girl group Fiestar in 2012. Yezi was a semi-finalist on ''Unpretty Rapstar 2'' in 2015, during w ...

(2012–2018) **

Cao Lu Cao Lu (; born August 30, 1987) is a Chinese singer, actress, and television personality. She was a member of the South Korean girl group Fiestar. Early life Cao Lu was born in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China on August 30, 1987. She is an ethnic Miao ...

(2012–2018) * IU (2012–2018) *

(2013–2017) ** Song Kyung-il (2013–2019) ** Na Do-Kyun (2013–2019) ** Kim Shi-hyoung (2013–2019) ** Kim Jae-ho (2013–2019) ** Jang Yi-jeong (2013–2019) * Shin Zisu (2015–2016) *

I.B.I I.B.I (; also stylized as IBI) was a South Korean girl group consisting of five members who previously participated in Mnet's 2016 survival show ''Produce 101''. The group formed and debuted under LOEN Entertainment in 2016 with the single "Molae ...

(2016) * JBJ (2017–2018)

Discography

Projects

Notes

References

External links

*
IST Entertainment
on Naver Post {{Authority control IST Entertainment Record labels established in 2011 South Korean record labels Labels distributed by Kakao M Talent agencies of South Korea