IST Entertainment

Today, IST Entertainment is a topic of great relevance and interest in society. Its impact is reflected in different areas, from politics to technology, including culture and the economy. IST Entertainment has sparked heated discussions, changed the way people see the world, and challenged established structures. In this article, we will explore in depth the influence of IST Entertainment on our lives and how it has shaped our perception of the world around us. From its origins to its current impact, IST Entertainment has left an indelible mark on modern society.

IST Entertainment
Native name
아이에스티엔터테인먼트
FormerlyA Cube Entertainment (2011–2015)
Plan A Entertainment (2015–2019)
Play M Entertainment (2019–2021)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryMusic
Founded2011 (2011)
FounderChoi Jin-ho
Headquarters
South Korea
Key people
Jang Hyun-jin (CEO)
Yoon Young-ro (CEO)
Parent
SubsidiariesE&T Story Entertainment (2018–2021)
Websitewww.istent.co.kr Edit this at Wikidata

IST Entertainment (Korean: 아이에스티엔터테인먼트) is a South Korean entertainment company under Beyond Music.

History

Plan A Entertainment

In 2011, A Cube Entertainment was established as an independent label of Cube Entertainment. A Cube signed its first solo artist Huh Gak[1] and launched girl group Apink, which was made up from former Cube Entertainment trainees.

In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment (later Kakao M and then Kakao Entertainment) 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.[2] It launched its first boy group Victon 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.[3]

Fave Entertainment

Main article: Kakao M

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.[4][5] Artists who were transferred to Fave Entertainment included Fiestar, History, IU and Sunny Hill.[6][7] Its trainees have notably featured in MIXNINE, Under Nineteen, and Produce 101. In October 2018, the label announced its upcoming girl group, temporarily known as "Fave Girls".[8]

Cre.ker Entertainment

Main article: Kakao M

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.

2019–2025: Merged agency named to IST Entertainment

On February 13, 2019, Kakao Entertainment released a statement that Plan A Entertainment and Fave Entertainment would be merging on April 1.[9][unreliable source?][10] Plan A Entertainment, being the surviving entity in the merger, was renamed Play M Entertainment[11] and absorbed Fave Entertainment's assets and remaining artists, including trainees.[12]

In May 2020, it was announced that "Fave Girls", who became "Play M Girls" following the merger, would be debuting in June as Weeekly.[13] It is the company's first girl group since Apink.[14]

On September 17, 2021, Kakao Entertainment announced that Play M Entertainment and Cre.ker Entertainment would be merging in the future.[15]

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.[16]

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 show premiered on March 19, 2022.[17] On the finale episode aired on May 7, 2022, it was announced that the final 7 will debut as ATBO, and will debut in July 27.[18]

On April 11, 2022, IST Entertainment and Universal Music Japan announced the foundation of their joint venture label, "Universal Music IST".[19]

2025–present: Full acquisition by Beyond Music

On February 5, 2025, Beyond Music announced that it fully acquired IST Entertainment from Kakao Entertainment and will be incorporating it as a subsidiary.[20]

On February 26, 2025, IST Entertainment announced that all Weeekly members have terminated their contract with the label. The future activities of the group remain undecided as of now.[21]

Artists

Groups

Soloists

Notable trainees

Former artists

IST Entertainment

  • Apink
  • Victon (2016–2024)
  • Bandage (2020–2023)[28]
    • Lim Hyeong-bin (2020–2022)[29]
    • Lee Chan-sol (2020–2023)
    • Kang Kyoung-yoon (2020–2023)
    • Shin Hyun-bin (2020–2023)
  • The Boyz (2017–2024)[30]
    • Sangyeon (2017–2024)
    • Jacob (2017–2024)
    • Younghoon (2017–2024)
    • Hyunjae (2017–2024)
    • Juyeon (2017–2024)
    • Kevin (2017–2024)
    • New (2017–2024)
    • Q (2017–2024)
    • Ju Haknyeon (2017–2024)
    • Sunwoo (2017–2024)
    • Eric (2017–2024)
  • Weeekly (2020–2025)
    • Shin Ji-yoon (2020–2022)[31]
    • Lee Soo-jin (2020–2025)[32]
    • Monday (2020–2025)[32]
    • Park So-eun (2020–2025)[32]
    • Lee Jae-hee (2020–2025)[32]
    • Jihan (2020–2025)[32]
    • Zoa (2020–2025)[32]

Former label

Discography

Main article: IST Entertainment discography

Projects

Title Year Artists Peak Chart Positions Sales
(Download) 		Albums
Love Day 2012 Jung Eun-ji, Yang Yo-seob 8 A Cube For Season #Green
A Year Ago 2013 Jung Eun-ji, Kim Nam-joo, Jang Hyun-seung 13 A Cube For Season #White
Short Hair Jung Eun-ji, Huh Gak 1 A Cube For Season #Blue
Break Up To Make Up 2014 Jung Eun-ji, Huh Gak 1 A Cube For Season #Sky Blue
Photograph 2015 Kim Nam-joo, Yook Sung-jae 29 A Cube For Season #Blue Season 2
Bada 'Ocean.wav' 2016 Jung Eun-ji, Huh Gak 5 Plan A First Episode
#Begin Again Huh Gak, Plan A Boys — Plan A Second Episode
Oasis 2017 Apink, Huh Gak, Victon 100 Plan A Third Episode

Notes

  1. ^ Transferred to Bluedot entertainment and debuted as member of Just B
  2. ^ Returned to Kakao M and then transferred to EDAM Entertainment in 2020.

References

  1. ^ 허각, 에이큐브에 새둥지 틀고 앨범 작업 시작. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). March 2, 2011. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  2. ^ 에이핑크 소속사 에이큐브, '플랜에이(Plan A)'로 상호 변경. Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). March 2, 2016. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  3. ^ 카카오엠, 자회사 이앤티스토리 합병 절차 밟을까. thebell.co.kr (in Korean). January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  4. ^ 로엔, 인디 레이블 '문화인' 설립...우효 등 계약. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). June 1, 2016. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
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  6. ^ 로엔, 다음달 6인조 걸그룹 피에스타 선보여. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). July 19, 2017. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  7. ^ 로엔엔터테인먼트, 사상 첫 '공개 오디션' 진행...23일부터 서울·부산·광주. Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  8. ^ 페이브 걸즈 7명 비주얼 완전체 공개..."내년 초 데뷔 목표". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). October 29, 2018. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
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  17. ^ Kim, No-eul (February 7, 2022). 에이핑크·더보이즈 소속사, 올 상반기 새 보이그룹 론칭 [공식입장] [Apink and The Boyz agency launch a new boy group in the first half of this year ] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022 – via Naver.
  18. ^ Jeong Bit (May 9, 2022). [공식]IST엔터, 新보이그룹 ABO 론칭...'디 오리진'으로 뽑힌 7人, 하반기 데뷔 [ IST Entertainment launches new boy group ABO... 7 people selected as 'The Origin' to debut in the second half of the year] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved May 9, 2022 – via Naver.
  19. ^ "The Boyz Japan Official Website" 5/27(金)JAPAN New Mini Album『SHE'S THE BOSS』リリース決定！. The Boyz Japan Official (in Japanese). Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  20. ^ [단독] 비욘드뮤직, '카카오엔터 자회사' IST엔터 인수. 한국경제 (in Korean). February 5, 2025. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  21. ^ "Girl group Weeekly leaves agency IST Entertainment". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. February 26, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  22. ^ @PlayM_Official. [#휴닝바히에] 10월 22일 오전 10시까지 #유니버스 어플에 접속하여 휴닝바히에에게 투표해 주세요🗳 많은 응원 부탁드립니다☺ [ Vote for "Huening Bahiyyih" on the (hashtag) UNIVERSE app until 10 PM (KST) of October 22🗳 Thank you for your support☺]. Twitter (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  23. ^ Kim, Hyun-sik (October 22, 2021). 김채현 1위...'걸스플래닛' 9인조 걸그룹 '케플러' 결성. Edaily (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  24. ^ a b c d Lee, Tae-soo (April 28, 2023). 에이핑크, 정은지만 남고 소속사 IST 떠난다..."팀 활동 유지" [Apink, Jung Eun-ji will leave the agency IST... "Keeping the Team Active"]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Naver.
  25. ^ Choo, Seung-hyun (October 11, 2022). 음주운전' 빅톤 허찬, 결국 팀 탈퇴..."6인 체제 재정비" [전문] (in Korean). The Seoul Economic Daily. Retrieved October 11, 2022 – via Naver.
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  28. ^ 밴디지(Bandage) 향후 활동 관련하여 팬 여러분께 안내 드립니다.밴디지(Bandage) 향후 활동 관련하여 팬 여러분께 안내 드립니다. star.mbn.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved January 7, 2023.
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  30. ^ Yoon, So-yeon (November 15, 2024). "The Boyz members to sign with One Hundred Label after current contracts end". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
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  38. ^ "History (band)" (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on May 15, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  39. ^ Digital sales for Love Day:
  40. ^ Digital sales for A Year Ago:
  41. ^ Digital sales for Short Hair:
  42. ^ Digital sales for Break Up to Make Up:
  43. ^ Digital sales for Photograph:
  44. ^ Digital sales for Ocean:
  45. ^ Digital sales for #Begin Again:
  46. ^ Digital sales for Oasis: