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· Carl Samson
Kakao’s billionaire founder arrested for alleged stock manipulation in K-pop deal
Kim Beom-su, the billionaire founder of South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp., was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly manipulating stocks during the acquisition of SM Entertainment — the label behind acts such as Aespa, NCT and Red Velvet — last year. Prosecutors claim Kim, also…
· Daniel Anderson
Kakao raided over SM Entertainment stock manipulation allegations
South Korean tech giant Kakao Corp. and its affiliate, Kakao Entertainment, were raided by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) on April 7. South Korean authorities sent a team of 40 investigators from the FSC to the companies’ premises in Pangyo, Gyeonggi province, to search…
· Daniel Anderson
Kakao becomes majority shareholder of K-pop agency SM Entertainment
South Korean internet company Kakao has become the majority shareholder of K-pop agency SM Entertainment, with a controlling stake of 39.9%. The purchase was made through a tender offer for approximately $963 million, a transaction that beat out rival entertainment company HYBE,…
· Daniel Anderson
K-pop girl group IVE takes it up to ‘Eleven’ with Columbia Records, Kakao partnership
Kakao Entertainment America has formed a partnership with American record label Columbia Records to co-manage K-pop girl group IVE and expand their presence in the North American market. The collaboration will commence with the distribution, marketing and promotion of IVE‘s…
· Daniel Anderson
Hybe drops takeover bid for SM Entertainment after talks with Kakao
South Korean entertainment company Hybe has pulled out of its takeover bid for SM Entertainment. The K-pop agency behind acts such as BTS, LE SSERAFIM, SEVENTEEN and NewJeans announced its decision in a statement on Sunday after talks with SM Entertainment and competing acquirer…
· Daniel Anderson
Kakao makes near-$1 billion tender offer for SM Entertainment in challenge to Hybe
South Korean tech giant Kakao has announced a bid to acquire up to 35% of SM Entertainment shares, which, if successful, would make them the K-pop company’s largest shareholder. Kakao issued a regulatory filing on Monday that offered $114.40 per share, for a total value of…
· Ryan General
K-Pop Songs Return to Spotify After New Deal With Kakao Entertainment
Hundreds of songs by K-pop artists from Kakao Entertainment (previously known as KakaoM) are returning to Spotify after the two companies finally settled on a new global licensing agreement. Expired license: K-pop fans were left outraged after many of their favorite songs…
· Bryan Ke
KakaoTalk Founder Promises to Donate Over Half of His $9.4 Billion Fortune
Kim Beom-su, the billionaire founder of messaging app KakaoTalk, has promised to donate more than half of his wealth to help “solve social issues.” A generous donation: Kim, who is worth around $9.4 billion, made the promise in a recent message sent to employees, according to…
· Carl Samson
Tencent invests $177 million in K-pop amid thawing China-Korea relations
Tencent Music Entertainment is buying nearly 10% of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment in a $177 million deal that would make the Chinese streaming giant the agency’s second-biggest investor as bilateral relations between Beijing and Seoul show improvement. By the numbers:…
· Carl Samson
SM Entertainment to debut world’s 1st British K-pop boy group
SM Entertainment unveiled its first British K-pop boy group, Dear Alice, at a press conference in London on Thursday. The five-member group — composed of Blaise Noon, Dexter Greenwood, James Sharp, Olly Quinn and Reese Carter — was co-produced by SM, SM & Kakao Entertainment…
· Daniel Anderson
New SM Entertainment boy group RIIZE unveil 1st single at KCON LA
SM Entertainment’s new boy group RIIZE has released their prologue single, “Memories.” Unveiling “Memories”: The group showcased the track for the first time on Sunday during KCON LA 2023’s “SHOWCASE: NICE TO MEET U” event. They also performed the song during KCON’s Day 3…
· Bryan Ke
Man jailed for trying to steal unreleased music while posing as BTS member
A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for posing as a member of BTS to obtain details about the group’s activities and then-unreleased music. Key details: The man was sentenced at the Daegu District Court’s Western District Criminal Division 9 on Monday,…
· Bryan Ke
9 virtual K-pop idols we’re stanning right now
Virtual K-pop idols are on the rise as South Korean agencies and labels are now looking into the metaverse as the next destination for Hallyu (the Korean wave). While fictional artists are gaining traction online following the popularity of groups such as K/DA in late 2018, the…
· Daniel Anderson
Starship Entertainment announces hiatus for IVE member Rei over health concerns
Japanese singer Rei of the K-pop girl group IVE will be taking a hiatus due to health concerns. IVE’s agency Starship Entertainment made the announcement on April 11 through their official fan cafe website.
· Daniel Anderson
IVE release debut studio album ‘I’ve IVE’ and music video for title track ‘I AM’
K-pop girl group IVE released their debut studio album, “I’ve IVE,” led by the title track “I AM,” on Monday. The new album features 11 songs in total, including the pre-release track “Kitsch” from last month.
· Carl Samson
‘Such a slap in the face’: IVE fans lose it after main vocal gets less time in new song
Fans of K-pop girl group IVE are venting on social media over what some have described as an “unfair” line distribution in the sextet’s latest single, “Kitsch.” IVE, managed by label Starship Entertainment, dropped “Kitsch” Monday as a pre-release single to their first…
· Daniel Anderson
HYBE expected to net $87 million after selling all of its SM Entertainment shares
K-pop company HYBE announced its intention to sell its entire 15.8% stake in rival talent agency SM Entertainment to South Korean internet giant Kakao following their failed takeover. HYBE, which houses the likes of BTS, SEVENTEEN, NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM and more, announced on…
· Daniel Anderson
HYBE aims for US market acquisitions after pullout from SM Entertainment bid
K-pop entertainment company HYBE is looking to increase its footprint in the U.S. entertainment market through multiple acquisitions and investments, according to founder and chairman Bang Si-hyuk. Bang cautioned that the K-pop industry is experiencing a slowdown, and key…
· Daniel Anderson
HYBE publishes open letter upon completed acquisition of SM Entertainment
HYBE CEO Park Ji-won has published an open letter discussing his company’s completed acquisition of the majority stake in its competitor, SM Entertainment. The letter was posted on HYBE’s official social media accounts on Tuesday in Korean, Japanese and English.
· Daniel Anderson
HYBE becomes largest shareholder of SM Entertainment
South Korean entertainment company HYBE is set to acquire a controlling stake in competitor SM Entertainment, becoming its largest shareholder with a 14.8% stake. In a regulatory filing released on Feb. 10, HYBE announced that it had bought 3.5 million shares from SM…
K-dramas → Naver
K-dramas connect to Naver and Kakao through the apps, stories, and adaptations that feed shows later on.
If a show blows up on streaming after first living as a comic or web novel, this is the path you are looking at.
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Kakao Games
Kakao Games connects to Kakao and the broader platforms story around it.
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Kakao Webtoon
Kakao Webtoon connects to Kakao and the broader platforms story around it.
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KakaoPay
KakaoPay connects to Kakao and the broader platforms story around it.
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KakaoTalk
KakaoTalk is the near-monopoly messenger that became Korea's operating system for daily life, giving Kakao a chokehold on how 50M Koreans pay, chat, hail cabs and stream music.