The South Korean entertainment industry enjoys worldwide popularity, and at its core are several major entertainment companies. These companies promote Korean culture globally through their artists. Here, we’ll introduce the largest Korean entertainment companies and provide details about their affiliated celebrities.
1. SM Entertainment (Founder: Lee Soo-man)
Founded in 1995 by Lee Soo-man, SM Entertainment has greatly contributed to promoting K-pop culture worldwide.
- **Market Cap as of June 12, 2024**: 1.9626 trillion KRW
- **Key Artists**
- **TVXQ**: Debuted in 2003 as a five-member group, but now performs as a duo with Yunho and Changmin.
- **Super Junior**: Debuted in 2005, gaining popularity through unit activities and overseas promotions.
- **Girls' Generation**: Debuted in 2007, known for hit songs like "Gee," "Genie," and "I Got A Boy."
- **SHINee**: Debuted in 2008, loved for their unique music style and performances.
- **EXO**: Debuted in 2012, achieving great success in both South Korea and China.
- **Red Velvet**: Debuted in 2014, experimenting with various musical styles.
- **NCT**: Debuted in 2016, an international boy group active through multiple units such as NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV.
- **aespa**: Debuted in 2020, known for their AI concept and unique storyline.
2. JYP Entertainment (Founder: Park Jin-young)
Established in 1997 by Park Jin-young, JYP Entertainment is also known as "JYP Nation."
- **Market Cap as of June 12, 2024**: 2.1035 trillion KRW
- **Key Artists**
- **2PM**: Debuted in 2008, popular for their intense performances and masculine appeal.
- **Wonder Girls**: Debuted in 2007, achieved massive success with hits like "Tell Me" and "Nobody."
- **GOT7**: Debuted in 2014, a multinational boy group with a diverse music style.
- **Twice**: Debuted in 2015, famous for hits like "Cheer Up," "TT," and "Fancy."
- **Stray Kids**: Debuted in 2018, showcasing their unique style through self-produced songs.
- **ITZY**: Debuted in 2019, became popular right from their debut song "Dalla Dalla."
- **NMIXX**: Debuted in 2022, known for fresh music and powerful performances.
3. YG Entertainment (Founder: Yang Hyun-suk)
Founded in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk, YG Entertainment focuses on hip-hop and R&B-based music.
- **Market Cap as of June 12, 2024**: 771.9 billion KRW
- **Key Artists**
- **BIGBANG**: Debuted in 2006, famous for hit songs like "Fantastic Baby" and "Bang Bang Bang."
- **2NE1**: Debuted in 2009, known for their powerful music and performances.
- **Winner**: Debuted in 2014, loved for hits like "Really Really."
- **iKON**: Debuted in 2015, popular with hits like "Love Scenario."
- **BLACKPINK**: Debuted in 2016, achieving global fame with hits like "DDU-DU DDU-DU" and "Kill This Love."
- **TREASURE**: Debuted in 2020, loved by fans for their versatile music style.
4. HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment, Founder: Bang Si-hyuk)
HYBE, established in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk, saw rapid growth with the success of BTS.
- **Market Cap as of June 12, 2024**: 8.2471 trillion KRW
- **Key Artists**
- **BTS**: Debuted in 2013, the global K-pop sensation that helped internationalize K-pop.
- **TXT**: Debuted in 2019, known for songs like "CROWN" and "Blue Hour."
- **ENHYPEN**: Debuted in 2020, popular with songs like "Given-Taken" and "Drunk-Dazed."
- **LE SSERAFIM**: Debuted in 2022, recognized for their diverse musical approach.
- **NewJeans**: Debuted in 2022, loved for their unique music style and performances.
5. CJ ENM (CEO: Koo Chang-geun)
CJ ENM operates a large-scale entertainment business across various fields such as music, film, and drama.
- **Market Cap as of June 12, 2024**: 1.8442 trillion KRW
- **Key Artists**
- **IZ*ONE**: Debuted in 2018, popular with songs like "La Vie en Rose" and "Fiesta."
- **fromis_9**: Debuted in 2018, loved for songs like "Love Bomb" and "We Go."
- **JO1**: Debuted in 2020, a Japanese boy group known for songs like "Infinity" and "Shine A Light."
In addition to these major companies, there are many small and medium-sized entertainment companies, each producing artists with unique styles and charm. The Korean entertainment industry continues to grow, and many new artists are expected to emerge in the future.