Korean Startup MFU (Music for You) has launched Muzemaker.  Muzemaker is another way to communicate by music.  These days people are consuming music digitally.  Therefore big conglomerates like Apple and Google are getting involved in the music industry.  Most of the content consumed on Youtube is music.  Cover song content alone is over 250 million.

Muzemaker allows users to divide the music.  Therefore you can divide a track into piano sounds, keyboard, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, strings, chorus, etc.

Why would users want to do this?  Simple this will allow users to take out the vocals to practice their singing.  Keep just the vocals so they can practice their instruments.  Or they might just want to listen to JUST the piano portion.

This will help users easily participate in creating new cover content and have social collaborations with other users.  On the platforms, sales can take place as well as get subscribers.

Why use Muzemakers?

Muzemakers is targeting musicians and general users who want to participate in music.  Through their open market, they will be allowed to distribute their multitracks.    Furthermore, you will be allowed to make and share their own music as well.  Think of MFU as the “G-Market” for music.

This will be a new way to listen to music.  Also, the platform will be perfect for musicians who are looking to practice for their auditions.  As well as singing practices and performances.

A typical song consists of 8-16 measures.  As well as an intro, verse, bridge, and subject.  The typical running time is usually between 3-4 minutes.  Muzemakers helps global distant musicians create music by providing the instrument content online.  Musicians can put all these factors together on the Muzemaker platform like Lego blocks to make their own music all on the open market.  In spite of various usage of multitracks by instrument, there is no official source to get multitracks for music-related students & band members, and even for artists & pro musicians.

Think of Muzemaker as the Smule of Korea.  Koreans love their music and Kpop is one of the hottest forms of music in the world.  In addition, reality singing shows are also a big hit in Korea.  Karaoke singers in Korea use TV Sori.  It is mainly targeting karaoke singers.  Muzemaker is all about helping real musicians make music and succeed.

The post Korean Startup Muzemaker: Social Music Open Platform appeared first on Startup Radar.

10)  Red Velvet – 530,180 followers

Red Velvet was formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2014.  Red Velvet just recently opened up their Twitter account as well as a Weibo account.  There you can find the latest concept photo for their comeback which has a tropical theme with lots of fruits and colors.

Current members:  Joy, Irene, Wendy, Yeri, and Seulgi.

9)  AOA – 318,663 followers

AOA formed by FNC Entertainment in 2012 and was originally an 8 member group but now is a 6 member group.  They will be reuniting in Japan for the first time as a 6 member group.  The comeback will officially start between February and March of 2018.

Current members:  Jimin, Yuna, Chanmi, Hyejeong, Seoulhyun, and Mina.

8)  EXID – 398,772 followers

EXID was formed in 2012 but it was not until 2014 got popular.  Recently they have come out with teaser images for cellphone backgrounds to promote a project that will be about remaking past EXID songs that were not title songs.  There will be one song released be per month until August.

Current members:  Solji, Hani, LE, Jeonghwa, and Hyelin

7)  Mamamoo – 448,080 followers

MAMAMOO was formed by Rainbow Bridge World which was originally called WA Entertainment.  Their debut was in 2014 and is considered one of the best debuts of all time.  They are known for their retro, jazz, and R&B concepts and great vocals.  They recently posed for the cover of 10+Star magazine in January.

Current members:  Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, and Hwasa.

Miss A was formed by JYP Entertainment in 2010.  The group disbanded in late 2017 after Jia departed from JYP.  The four-member group was known for their dance-pop tracks.  Suzy and Fei will be pursuing solo careers in South Korea while Min and Jia will pursue solo careers in China.

Current Members:  Fei, Jia, Suzy, and Min

5)  GFriend – 645,991 followers

GFriend is a six-member girl group created by Source Music in 2015.  They were one of the top female rookies of 2015 even tho they did not come from one of the bigger entertainment companies.  Their latest just video went viral as it was learned that 15 tons of water were used to create a lake look in a field.

Current members:  Sowon, Yerin, Yuju, SinB, Eunha, and Umji

4)  Wonder Girls – 552,415 followers

Wonder Girls are the oldest on the list.  They were formed in 2007 by JYP Entertainment and was one of the first success stories.  This four-member group came to fame with “Nobody” but have disbanded when only Yubin and Lim decided to resign with JYP Entertainment.

Current Members:  Yubin, Sunmi, Yeeun, and Hyerim.

3)  SiSTAR – 743,944 followers

This all-girl Kpop group was formed in 2010 by Starship Entertainment.  They have discided to disband and 2017 was their final year together.  Each member will look to pursue individual careers.

Current members:  Bora, Soyou, Hyolyn, and Dasom

2) TWICE – 1,986,109 followers

TWICE was formed in 2015 by JYP Entertainment through the reality show Sixteen.  They are one of the most popular girl groups around.  The broke records on Melon and Youtube.

Current Members:  Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, Dahyun, Mina, Jihyo, Sana, Momo, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon.

1)  Girls Generation – 3,013,827 followers

One of the most popular girl groups comes in at #1.  They are also known as SNSD and was formed by S.M. Entertainment back in 2007.

Current members:  Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Taeyeon, Yuri, Yoona, Seohyun, and Sooyoung.

The post Top 10 Girl Kpop Groups on Twitter appeared first on Startup Radar.

10)  2PM – 1,099,333 followers

2PM comes in at #10 which is surprising because they have been around awhile.  You would think an up and coming K-Pop group would have come along and taken them out of the top 10.  2PM was created by JYP Entertainment in 2009.  They are still going strong even tho one of their members revealed that it will take some time before 2PM does full group promotions.

Current Members:  Jun. K, Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung.

9)  Big Bang – 1,486,487 followers

They don’t get any more famous than Big Bang, however, their Twitter account is not as strong as you might think.  They have been the top K-Pop group for over 5 years.  Created by YG Entertainment, all the members of the group have become famous in and of themselves.  They are considered the Kings of K-Pop.  G-Dragon and Taeyang will be doing their mandatory military service starting from 2018 so don’t expect their Twitter activity to go up any time soon.

8)  CN Blue – 1,556,006 followers

CNBLUE is one of the few rock groups in K-Pop.  They have a loyal following on Twitter with over 1.5 million followers and comes in at #9.  The group was formed in 2009.  Yonghwa their senior member is soon up for enlistment for his mandatory military service and many are wondering if others will join him.  Jung Yong-Hwa will be leaving a cable TV show after the revelation that he received preferential treatment in graduate school admission.

Current members:  Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Jong-hyun, Kang Min-hyuk, and Lee Jung-shin.

7)  Wanna One – 1,737,229 followers

Wanna One was formed by CJ E&M through a series on Korean T.V. called “Produce 101 Season 2”.  However, YMC Entertainment is now managing Wanna One.  They are one of the top up and coming K-Pop groups at the moment.

Current Members:  Daniel Kang, Ha Sung-woon, Park Ji-hoon, Bae Jin-young, Lee Dae-hwi, Hwang Min-hyun, Kim Jae-hwan, Yoon Ji-sung, Ong Seong-wu, Lai Kuan-lin, and Park Woo-jin.

6)  BTOB – 1,783,064 followers

BTOB was formed in 2012 by Cube Entertainment.  Sungjae is in charge of managing their Twitter account and he has so far done an amazing job.  He hurt his back in late 2017 and will not be doing a lot of promoting in the early part of 2018.

Current Members:  Lee Min-hyuk, Lee Chang-sub, Seo Eun-kwang, Peniel Shin, Im Hyun-sik, Jung Il-hoon, and Yook Sung-jae.

5)  Monsta X – 2,043,944 followers

Monsta X was formed by Starship Entertainment from a Korean survival show called “No Mercy” which was aired on Mnet in 2015.  The members are not only active on Twitter but I.M. and Jooheon both opened their own Sound Cloud accounts.

Current Members:  Kihyun, Jooheon, Hyungwon, Shownu, Minhyuk, I.M. and Wonho.

4)  EXO – 2,083,408 followers

One of the largest member groups EXO comes in at #3.  They are a South Korean and Chinese mixed boy group created by S.M. Entertainment in 2011.  They are separated into two subgroups, Exo-K and Exo-M and they perform music in both Korean and Mandarin.  This was Korea’s attempt to break into the Chinese market and they were largely successful.  EXO is growing all around the world and in early 2018 their EXOpowerDubai hashtag was trending on social media worldwide.

Current members:  Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun.

3)  SEVENTEEN – 2,792,409 followers

SEVENTEEN was formed by Pledis Entertainment in 2015.  They are one of the biggest groups with 13 members which help with Twitter promotion.  They are divided into three sub-units, each with a different area of expertise:  a “Hip-Hop Unit”, “Vocal Unit”, and “Performance Unit”:  Seventeen has so far released two albums as well as four extended plays.

Current Members:  S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino

2)  GOT 7 – 4,493,848 followers

You would think GOT 7 would have a stronger following on Facebook but still, they come in at #7 on this list.  They are also with JYP Entertainment and their debut was in early 2014.  After showing fans a quick video of the “7 for 7” in early 2018 the group has now released their full comeback schedule via social media.  They made their Japanese comeback in late 2017

Current members:  JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom.

1) BTS – 12,077,206 followers

One of the hottest groups in K-Pop comes in at #1.  They are the KING of Twitter for K-Pop groups and it is not even close, they have over 12 million followers.  BTS is also known as Bangtan Boys and was created by Big Hit Entertainment in 2013.  They remain Big Hit Entertainment’s biggest draw.  BTS just set the record with “DNA” which got 13,335,134 views after just 10 hours since its release.

Current members:  Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook

The post Top 10 Boy Kpop Groups on Twitter appeared first on Startup Radar.

10)  Big Bang – 1,486,487 followers

They don’t get any more famous than Big Bang, however, their Twitter account is not as strong as you might think.  They have been the top K-Pop group for over 5 years.  Created by YG Entertainment, all the members of the group have become famous in and of themselves.  They are considered the Kings of K-Pop.  G-Dragon and Taeyang will be doing their mandatory military service starting from 2018 so don’t expect their Twitter activity to go up anytime soon.

9)  CN Blue – 1,556,006 followers

CNBLUE is one of the few rock groups in K-Pop.  They have a loyal following on Twitter with over 1.5 million followers and comes in at #9.  The group was formed in 2009.  Yonghwa their senior member is soon up for enlistment for his mandatory military service and many are wondering if others will join him.  Jung Yong-Hwa will be leaving a cable TV show after the revelation that he received preferential treatment in graduate school admission.

Current members:  Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Jong-hyun, Kang Min-hyuk, and Lee Jung-shin.

8)  Wanna One – 1,737,229 followers

Wanna One was formed by CJ E&M through a series on Korean T.V. called “Produce 101 Season 2”.  However, YMC Entertainment is now managing Wanna One.  They are one of the top up and coming K-Pop groups at the moment.

Current Members:  Daniel Kang, Ha Sung-woon, Park Ji-hoon, Bae Jin-young, Lee Dae-hwi, Hwang Min-hyun, Kim Jae-hwan, Yoon Ji-sung, Ong Seong-wu, Lai Kuan-lin, and Park Woo-jin.

7)  TWICE – 1,985,665 followers

TWICE was formed in 2015 by JYP Entertainment through the reality show Sixteen.  They are one of the most popular girl groups around.  The broke records on Melon and Youtube.  TWICE has the most members of any group under JYP Entertainment.

Current Members:  Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, Dahyun, Mina, Jihyo, Sana, Momo, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon.

6)  Monsta X – 2,043,944 followers

Monsta X was formed by Starship Entertainment from a Korean survival show called “No Mercy” which was aired on Mnet in 2015.  The members are not only active on Twitter but I.M. and Jooheon both opened their own Sound Cloud accounts.

Current Members:  Kihyun, Jooheon, Hyungwon, Shownu, Minhyuk, I.M. and Wonho.

5)  EXO – 2,083,408 followers

One of the largest member groups EXO comes in at #3.  They are a South Korean and Chinese mixed boy group created by S.M. Entertainment in 2011.  They are separated into two subgroups, Exo-K and Exo-M and they perform music in both Korean and Mandarin.  This was Korea’s attempt to break into the Chinese market and they were largely successful.  EXO is growing all around the world and in early 2018 their EXOpowerDubai hashtag was trending on social media worldwide.

Current members:  Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun.

4)  SEVENTEEN – 2,792,409 followers

SEVENTEEN was formed by Pledis Entertainment in 2015.  They are one of the biggest groups with 13 members which help with Twitter promotion.  They are divided into three sub-units, each with a different area of expertise:  a “Hip-Hop Unit”, “Vocal Unit”, and “Performance Unit”:  Seventeen has so far released two albums as well as four extended plays.

Current Members:  S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino

3)  Girl’s Generation – 3,013,702 followers

One of the most popular girl groups comes in at #3.  They are also known as SNSD and was formed by S.M. Entertainment back in 2007.  They have been together for 10 years and will be missed.

Current members:  Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Taeyeon, Yuri, Yoona, Seohyun, and Sooyoung.

2)  GOT 7 – 4,493,848 followers

You would think GOT 7 would have a stronger following on Facebook but still, they come in at #7 on this list.  They are also with JYP Entertainment and their debut was in early 2014.  After showing fans a quick video of the “7 for 7” in early 2018 the group has now released their full comeback schedule via social media.  They made their Japanese comeback in late 2017

Current members:  JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom.

1) BTS – 12,077,206 followers

One of the hottest groups in K-Pop comes in at #1.  They are the KING of Twitter for K-Pop groups and it is not even close, they have over 12 million followers.  BTS is also known as Bangtan Boys and was created by Big Hit Entertainment in 2013.  They remain Big Hit Entertainment’s biggest draw.  BTS just set the record with “DNA” which got 13,335,134 views after just 10 hours since its release.

Current members:  Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook

The post Top 10 K-Pop Groups on Twitter appeared first on Startup Radar.

10)  BLACKPINK – 1,426,334 followers

BLACKPINK was formed recently by YG Entertainment in 2016.  They were a huge success the first 5 months and set records on Billboard.  They were hailed as the new artists of the year.  Black Pink can be found on their reality show “Black Pink House”

Current Members:  Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo, and Rose.

9)  Wonder Girls – 1,743,143 followers

Wonder Girls are the oldest on the list.  They were formed in 2007 by JYP Entertainment and was one of the first success stories.  This four-member group came to fame with “Nobody” but have disbanded when only Yubin and Lim decided to resign with JYP Entertainment.

Current Members:  Yubin, Sunmi, Yeeun, and Hyerim.

8) TWICE – 1,913,943 followers

TWICE was formed in 2015 by JYP Entertainment through the reality show Sixteen.  They are one of the most popular girl groups around.  The broke records on Melon and Youtube.

Current Members:  Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, Dahyun, Mina, Jihyo, Sana, Momo, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon.

7)  A-Pink – 2,180,165 followers

A-Pink was formed by Plan A Entertainment.  They made headlines in 2017 because of bomb threats which are sadly becoming a trend.

Current Members:  Park Cho-rong, Jung Eun-ji, Yoon Bo-mi, Son Na-eun, Oh Ha-young, and Kim nam-joo.

Miss A was formed by JYP Entertainment in 2010.  The group disbanded in late 2017 after Jia departed from JYP.  The four-member group was known for their dance-pop tracks.  Suzy and Fei will be pursuing solo careers in South Korea while Min and Jia will pursue solo careers in China.

Current Members:  Fei, Jia, Suzy, and Min

5)  f(x) – 3,075,779 – followers

In 2009 S.M. Entertainment formed f(x).  They were originally a 5 member group but in late 2015 became a 4 member group.  They are an electropop-based Kpop group and were the first K-Pop group to perform at SXSW.  It has been over 2 years since f(x) made a comeback and rumor has it they will be doing another comeback soon.

Current Members:  Luna, Victoria, Krystal, and Amber

4)  SiSTAR – 3,188,959 – followers

This all-girl Kpop group was formed in 2010 by Starship Entertainment.  They have discided to disband and 2017 was their final year together.  Each member will look to pursue individual careers.

3)  T-ARA – 3,203,053 followers

T-ara was formed in 2009 by MBK Entertainment and their focus is on heavy dance-pop music.  They were up for contract renewal in 2017 but decided to part ways and disband.  Look for them to drop as others rise on the list.

Current Members:  Boram, Qri, Eunjung, Soyeon, Jiyeon, and Hyomin.

2)  Girl’s Generation – 7,127,567 followers

One of the most popular girl groups comes in at #5.  They are also known as SNSD and was formed by S.M. Entertainment back in 2007.

Current members:  Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Taeyeon, Yuri, Yoona, Seohyun, and Sooyoung.

1) 2NE1 – 9,020,774 followers

The biggest girl group in K-Pop has over 9 million followers on Facebook and is closing the gap for the #1 spot.  They were created by YG Entertainment back in 2009.  They were able to create hit after hit throughout the years and it is looking more likely that CL, one of the leaders of the group will break out in the states soon.

Current members:  Bom, Minzy, Dara, and CL

The post Top 10 Girl Kpop Groups on Facebook appeared first on Startup Radar.

In South Korea, the #1 “social networking site” is now finally Facebook and K-Pop groups are starting to take notice.  It took a while for Facebook to catch on in Korea but now most young adults are active on Facebook.   As more and more South Koreans have discovered Facebook, K-Pop entertainment companies are urging their groups to have a strong social media presence in Korea, especially with Facebook.  With so many Koreans using social media on their mobile phones, Facebook is now the #1 source for K-Pop groups to go to promote their songs, upcoming events, and news.  With most fans being female it is crucial for boy bands to have a strong social media presence.   So which K-Pop boy group has the strongest presence on Facebook?  Here are the top 10 Boy K-Pop Groups on Facebook as of this moment.

10)  UKISS – 2,463,408 followers

UKISS was formed in 2008 by NH Media and their name stands for Ubiquitous Korean International Idol Super Star.  One of their main members Kevin recently announced he was leaving UKISS.

Current Members:  Soohyun, Eli, Kiseop, Hoon, and Jun.

9)  Boyfriend – 3,083,752 followers

Boyfriend was formed in 2011 by Starship Entertainment and they are the first boy group to have twin members. Four of the members are on KBS’s idol show called “The Unit”.

8)  2PM – 3,645,708 followers

2PM comes in at #8 which is surprising because they have been around awhile.  You would think an up and coming K-Pop group would have come along and taken them out.  2PM was created by JYP Entertainment in 2009.  They are still going strong even tho one of their members revealed that it will take some time before 2PM does full group promotions.

Current Members:  Jun. K, Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung.

7)  GOT 7 – 3,938,178 followers

You would think GOT 7 would have a stronger following on Facebook but still, they come in at #7 on this list.  They are also with JYP Entertainment and their debut was in early 2014.  After showing fans a quick video of the “7 for 7” in early 2018 the group has now released their full comeback schedule via social media.

Current members:  JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom.

6)  CNBLUE – 4,353,645 followers

CNBLUE is one of the few rock groups in K-Pop.  They have a loyal following on Facebook with over 4 million followers and comes in at #8.  The group was formed in 2009.  Yonghwa their senior member is soon up for enlistment for his mandatory military service and many are wondering if others will join him.

Current members:  Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Jong-hyun, Kang Min-hyuk, and Lee Jung-shin.

5)  SHINee – 5,797,754 followers

SHINee comes in at #5 and has been around for a while.  They came out in 2008 under S.M. Entertainment and is mainly an R&B boy group.  The group is still in mourning over their Jonghyun’s death through events and gatherings.

Current members:  Key, Onew, Taemin, and Minho

4)  BTS – 5,853,323 followers

One of the hottest groups in K-Pop comes in at #4.  They are also known as Bangtan Boys and was created by Big Hit Entertainment in 2013.  They remain Big Hit Entertainment’s biggest draw.  BTS just set the record with “DNA” which got 13,335,134 views after just 10 hours since its release.

Current members:  Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook

3)  EXO – 7,292,945 followers

One of the largest member groups EXO comes in at #3.  They are a South Korean and Chinese mixed boy group created by S.M. Entertainment in 2011.  They are separated into two subgroups, Exo-K and Exo-M and they perform music in both Korean and Mandarin.  This was Korea’s attempt to break into the Chinese market and they were largely successful.  EXO is growing all around the world and in early 2018 their EXOpowerDubai hashtag was trending on social media worldwide.

Current members:  Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun.

2)  Super Junior – 7,692,351 followers

Super Junior has been around longer than Girl’s Generation.  They were formed back in 2005 by S.M. Entertainment and was one of the main groups to take S.M. Entertainment to the top.  Super Junior is planning a comeback reality show for 2018!

Current members:  Kibum, Leeteuk, Ryeowook, Heechul, Hangeng, Yesung, Donghae, Siwon, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, and Eunhyuk.

1) Big Bang – 10,574,918 follower

They don’t get any more famous than Big Bang.  They have been the top K-Pop group for over 5 years.  Created by YG Entertainment, all the members of the group have become famous in and of themselves.  They are considered the Kings of K-Pop.  G-Dragon and Taeyang will be doing their mandatory military service starting from 2018.

Current members:  T.O.P., Taeyang, Daesung, Seungri, G-Dragon

The post Top 10 Boy K-Pop Groups on Facebook appeared first on Startup Radar.

Korea’s main asset continues to be K-Pop as K-Pop entertainment companies continue to grow.  Most of these K-Pop companies/agencies are looking to expand outside of Korea and into other Asian markets as well as the United States.   People all over the world want K-Pop more than ever.

For this ranking, we at Startup Radar took into account their overall estimated sales as well as the artists that are involved in the company.  We also looked at the potential for growth not only in Korea but also across Asia as well as the west.  This is our comprehensive list of the Top 10 K-Pop Entertainment Companies in 2017.  

1. SM Entertainment 

Are you really surprised?  SM has been at the top of their game for years now.  SM Entertainment may not hold on to this spot for long as YG and JYP are really starting to catch up.  This is why their expansion into other markets will be crucial in 2018.  But one thing SM can do well is adapt.  They will able to go from Super Junior to EXO with even missing a beat.

To be honest, SM were the trendsetters.  They were the ones that really broke into the Chinese market first.  EXO has a lot of Chinese members.  In 2016 even a big corporation like Alibaba invested $30 million into SM Entertainment.  This was done to help the digital music industry in China.   SM Entertainment might have gotten some bad press with their K-Pop training centers.  However, this kind of hard work amongst their talent is what revolutionized the K-Pop industry.

This is why when groups like SNSD (Girl’s Generation) and f(x) are so well polished when they debut.  In 2017 they even built a ‘K-Pop International School’ at Gangnam, Seoul.  This shows that SM is constantly looking for international talent.

The origins of SM Entertainments success can be found with H.O.T. back in 1996 followed by S.E.S. in 1997.  Their biggest star now is clearly BoA.

Most of their K-Pop stars don’t just do music, they are also active in roles on T.V. and film.  In 2016 Red Velvet which focused more on a slower R&B sound which was different from other K-Pop groups.  So SM knows how to adapt and pivot which is crucial in setting trends.  They are also looking in AI technology and are working with the Korea Creative Content Agency to create AI idol stars that fans can chat with on Kakao.

SM Entertainment lost their partnership with Genie Music in 2017, but the good news is their partnership with SK Telecom in July of 2017.

The biggest loss might have been Seohyun of Girl Generation who SM in 2017.

SM Entertainment’s YouTube channel has over 12.3 million subscribers as of the end of 2017.   That is #1 in all of Asia. Over 90% of the subscribers are not Korean, showing the global power of SM Entertainment.

Artists: BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls Generation, SHINee, f(x), Red Velvet, Kim Ryeowook, Taemin, Jonghyun, NCT, and EXO

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $1.2 billion

2. YG Entertainment 

YG Entertainment has probably the two biggest potential K-Pop stars that can transition into the United States in G-Dragon and CL.  This is why YG has the potential more than JYP to overtake SM in the future, the U.S. market is a market that has not fully been tapped into just yet for K-Pop.

Psy proved that the potential for huge growth is there in the United States.  LVMH invested $80 into YG Entertainment and China’s social media giant Tencent and its related online ticketing company Weiying Technology agreed to invest $85 million into YG Entertainment in 2016.  Weiying owns 8.2% of YG and Tencent owns 4.5%.  So not only do they have potential int he U.S. market but also China as well.  They also got a huge partnership/investment from Naver, South Korea’s largest internet portal for around $90 million (9% equity stake).

YG is not only known for creating K-Pop start but also models and actress for film and T.V. However Goo Hye Sun’s contract with YG entertainment has come to an end in 2017.  In 2017 YG Entertainment has even established a label specifically for drama and content production called YG Studio Plex following in the footsteps of SM Entertainment who established its drama and content production label SM C&C in 2012.

Some of the members of their biggest group Big Bang were doing their military service in 2017 so others had to step up like Black Pink.  Also, the T.O.P. scandal didn’t help YG Entertainment in regards to PR.  In 2017, YG Entertainment started to focus more on Japan rather than China because of the (THAAD) concerns.

In 2017 YG signed Sechskies however they have not done a great job of promoting them.  Hopefully in 2018 Sechskies will get the push that they deserve.  There are also talks of iKON and Black Pink making a huge comeback in early 2018.

Artists:  2NE1, BIG BANG, CL, WINNER, 1TYM, DJ Tukutz, G-Dragon, Daesung, T.O.P., Taeyang, Kang Seung-Yoon, Minzy, Dara, Psy, Sandara Park, Seungri,  Sechskies, Yang Hyun-Suk, Stony Skunk,  Akdong Musician, Katie Kim, Lee Hi, Epik High, Tablo, Taebin, Teddy Park, iKONG, and MOBB, and Black Pink.

2017 Estimated net worth:  $900.5 million

3.  JYP Entertainment 

JYP Entertainment had a HUGE 2016 and almost doubled the company’s yet worth.   Thanks mainly to the success of TWICE and miss A’s Suzy.  TWICE had not only a lot of success in Korea but also in Japan where they broke all the records for a K-Pop girl group.  Their newly release “Twiceagram” has also been an amazing success so far.

Suzy is but only having success as a musician but also as an actress.  She has stared in the SBS drama “While You Were Sleeping” which continues to make her a massive name which is why renewing her contract in 2017 was such a big deal.  GOT7 is still going strong heading into 2018.  But the loss of 2PM is really going to hurt in the short term.

JYP also hold auditions all around the world to find the best talent.  In November JYPE stocks rose 5%, and that is probably due to the fact that they are about to debut three boy groups in 2018 and they will be promoted heavily in China.

Moving forward TWICE, Wonder Girls, Bae Ah Yeon, and Baek Yerin will be looked upon to carry the company. This marks the new beginning for JYP Entertainment.

Artists:  TWICE, G. Soul, DAY 6, Wonder Girls, 2AM, g.o.d., GOT7, Miss A, Suzy, Baek A Yeon, Min, Park Ji Min, Baek Yerin, Hye-lim, J J Project, Kim Tae Woo, Min, Sunye, Kichkhun, Park Jin-Young, Joon Park, Sunmi, Wang Fei Fei, Yubin, Jang Wooyoung, 15&, and Bernard Park

2017 Estimated Net worth:  $720.5 Million

4.  FNC Entertainment 

For FNC Entertainment 2016 was terrible.  2017 was better.  2016 brought a lot of scandals with F.T. Island (candlegate) and the investigation into FNC regarding stock manipulation.    Then there was the investigation into FNC Entertainment regarding suspicions of unfair profits made from stock manipulation.  FNC Entertainment has denied all allegations, however again the damage was done.  Their stock value dropped to an all-time low.

AOA also had scandals who were made fun of for their lack of knowledge in regards to Korean history figures.  Also, there was the Toyota incident where they had the companies logo blurred out in the music video.

In 2017 things ran much smoother.  FNC started to focus more on dance.  FNC has been known for cool/hipe bands like CNBLUE, SF9, and AOA who have all transitioned into more of a dance group.

However, the biggest star for FNC Entertainment is not even a K-Pop start but the famous Yoo Jae Suk who they signed in 2017.  That signing alone rose FNC’s stock prices by 30% raising the company’s value to close to $300 million.

Also Veteran actor Lee Dong Gun has decided to renew his contract with FNC Entertainment! Also, FNC will be launching a new girl group in early 2018.  So things are starting to look up for FNC Entertainment!

Artists:  CNBLUE, FT Island, N. Flying, AOA, AOA Cream, Hong-gi, Yonghwa, Jimin, Choa, Jong-hyun, InnoVator, SF9, and Juniel.

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $298 Million

5.  Big Hit Entertainment 

The success of Big Hit Entertainment is because of ONE group.  BTS (Bangtan Boys) has been having one of the most successful runs of all time.  Big Hit was just a small company but with BTS they were able to create one of the biggest boy groups of all time.  BTS alone is said to have a Net worth of over $40 million.  Big Hit is different from the other “BIG 3” because they work with a few bands and put all their attention on them.

Big Hit Entertainment is also planning to file for an IPO in a year.  Hopefully in early 2019 with a pre-screening on (KRX) in June of 2018.  That is big news and goes to show that Big Hit might be able to compete with the Big 3 in the near future.

Big Hit Entertainment has garnered over 7.7 million subscribers on their official YouTube channel.

Artists:  BTS and Homme

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $85 Million

6.  Woollim Entertainment 

Woollim Entertainment merged with SM Entertainment through SM C&C in 2013.  However, three years later the two companies officially separated.  Woollim Entertainment now is an independent company.  Their main artists include INFINITE and Lovelyz.

2016 was all about the comeback of INFINITE and has been a success up to this point.

2017 was all about INFINITE.  The main topic was whether they would resign with Woollim Entertainment.  The good news for Woollim was that they were able to sign INFINITE.  Now they can focus on having an amazing 2018.

What can you expect in 2018?  More of Golden Child.  The main singer Choi Sung Yoon could be the next big K-Pop star in 2018.  When they debut in August of 2017 with “DamDadi” there was a lot of buzz about them because of their youthfulness and high energy.

Artists:  INFINITE, Lovelyz, JOO, Golden Child, and Nell

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $68 million 

7. Pledis Entertainment 

Pledis Entertainment has had great success with their girl group After School.  However, many fans see After School as a one-hit wonder because they have not made a lot of noise ever since “Because of You”.  However, still to this day After School has a strong following in China and Japan and still ranks in the mid of Korean song charts.

Their newest groups  Orange Caramel and UEE was a success in 2017.  The key loss is with Seventeen which has been a success with over 300,00 copies sold but are very expensive to maintain because they were a 13 member band.

Pristin had a successful debut in 2017, however, PRISTIN’s member Kyla will be taking a break from her promotions due to health reasons.  The group will have to go on without her in 2018.   Still, there is a lot of potential for Pristin heading into 2018.

Artists:  NU’EST, SEVENTEEN, Orange Caramel, UEE, Han Don Geun, Pristin, and After School.

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $54 Million

8.  FAVE Entertainment/Starship Entertainment 

FAVE  Entertainment was formerly known as LOEN Entertainment and their subsidiary Starship Entertainment has had much success with their 12-member girl group Cosmic Girls and of course IU who is one of the biggest stars in Korea at the moment.

IU is not only a musician but also a very successful actress.  She is the driving force behind FAVE entertainment.  Starship’s focus for 2018 will be to continue to look into the Chinese market and Cosmic Girls which consists of both Koreans and Chinese members is their best chance for it.  With SISTAR resigned and on board, Starship will look to nurture their individual abilities for potential solo careers.

Male group MONSTA X partnered with Cosmic Girls to form a new unit called Y TEEN.  Y TEEN consists of 7 MONSTA X members and 7 Cosmic Girls members for a total of 14 members.  This is Starships plan to appeal more to young girls.

Artists:  Cosmic Girls, Monsta X, Yoo Seung Woo, Hyorin, Soyou, K. Will, Mad Clown, Brother Su, Boyfriend, WJSN, JungGiGo, Lee Kwang Soo, Lee Dong Wook, Kim Bum, Kim Ji Won, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jo Yoon Hee, and SISTAR

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $39 Million

9.  Cube Entertainment 

Cube Entertainment has found great success with their new group PENTAGON.  PENTAGON looked to take the place of B2ST who left Cube Entertainment.  This was an attempt to revive Cube Entertainment who has not had a great 2016 and has seen their stocks suffer continual losses even into 2017.  Cube’s success depended on PENTAGON‘s and CLC‘s debut and HyunA‘s comeback.

With the loss of 4 minute and B2ST, it was crucial for PENTAGON and CLC to pick up the slack which they were unable to do.  Losing BEAST was a crushing blow to Cube Entertainment.  Add that to their failure to sign SISTAR and resign 4 Minute and many are wondering if Cube Entertainment can ever recover.

Many questioned whether Cube Entertainment can take girl groups to the next level.  It was not wise to launch HyunA‘s solo career so closely with 4 Minutes debut.  As all the attention went to HyunA, 4 Minute just got left behind.  In fact looking back on Cube Entertainment’s history you can say their only A list hit was BEAST.  Maybe they should think about restructuring their business model in regards to managing their artists.

On the bright side, Cube entertainment was signed by AdShare.  AdShare is a monetization service for music, film, television, and sports rights holders.  This could be a sign of new direction as Cube Entertainment recently hired ex-chairman of Yedang Entertainment Shin Dae Nam.  His knowledge in the media and entertainment fields could be a way for Cube to turn things around.

Artists:  PENTAGON, BTOB, CLC, Yook Sungjae, Yoon Doojoon, HyunA, Ga Yoon, G. NA, Jang Hyun Seung, and Lee Gikwang.

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $39 Million

10.  TOP Media 

TOP Media is a South Korean company.  They were founded by Shinhwa member Andy.  He was in charge of handling the management of several artists. They usually work with LOEN Entertainment as the distributor of musical releases.  They are considered one of the top up-and-coming K-pop Entertainment companies in Korea at the moment.

TOP Media’s biggest success of 2017 was TEEN TOP.  The group has five members: C.A.P, Chunji, Niel, Ricky, and Changjo.  Originally they were a six-member group (with L.Joe, filing for contract termination in February 2017), Teen Top debuted with their first single album “Come into the World” way back in 2010.  They are still going strong and look to take that momentum into 2018.

Artists:  TEEN TOP, 100%, UP10TION, Andy, Niel

2017 Estimated Net Worth:  $25 million

The post Top 10 K-Pop Entertainment Companies in 2017 appeared first on Startup Radar.