All About YG Entertainment

Main Information

Company Logo

Type: Private
Industry: Music and entertainment
Genre: K-pop, contemporary, R&B, rock, dance
Founded: March, 1996
Founder: Yang Hyun Suk
Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
Key people: Yang Hyun Suk (CEO)
Products: Album, Concert
Services: Publishing records, Entertainment agency
Revenue: 35.7 billion won (2009)
Owner: Yang Hyun Suk
Subsidiaries:
- YG Entertainment Japan
- YG Underground
Website: www.ygfamily.com

History

In March 1996, Yang Hyun Suk, a former member of Seo Taiji and Boys, founded YG Entertainment. The first group to debut on the label was Keep Six, with their only album Six in tha Chamber released in May the same year. Jinusean was the next artist to debut on the label and was the first to achieve mainstream success. Group 1TYM followed along with CEO Yang Hyun Suk's album release. 1TYM and Jinusean are often credited with bringing hip hop to the mainstream Korean audience. In 1999, the company's artists created a collaboration album under the name YG Family.

The label soon released albums by artists Perry, Swi.T, Wheesung, and a second YG Family collaboration in the following years. In 2003, Big Mama debuted as the first group famed for their voices as opposed to appearance. Se7en debuted after, along with Lexy and Gummy. In 2005, the YG Underground label was created and grew to contain the artists 45RPM and Stony Skunk. In addition, Se7en began to go abroad to sell records in Japan in a joint effort between YG Entertainment and Nexstar Records. Big Bang debuted in 2006 and was the company's first idol group.

Big Bang skyrocketed in popularity from the time of their debut to the release of their second Korean album, Remember. 2008 was also marked by new releases from Gummy and Uhm Jung Hwa. In 2009, 2NE1 debuted and also quickly became one of the K-pop industry leaders. Big Bang branched out into Japan during this time and released their first Japanese language album, Big Bang. G-Dragon, leader of Big Bang, released his solo album in Korea and it became the highest selling album of 2009.

Psy, an already renowned rap artist, signed onto the label in 2010 and released the album Psy Five. In addition, the company applied to the stock exchange but was rejected. It is estimated that the reason was because YG Entertainment had too few music groups and an unstable cash flow, despite increasing earnings in Korea and Japan in 2009.

Location

South Korea: 397-5 YG Building (5th Floor), Hapjeong-Dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul

Partnership

Domestically, YG has had partnerships with M-Boat Entertainment and EunGun Entertainment, Yamazone Music, and Booda Sound. After the contracts for Big Mama and Soul Star ended, EunGun and M-Boat have ended their activities with YG Entertainment.

Starting in 2005, YG expanded into the foreign market. Se7en is the first YG artist to expand into the rest of Asia. YG has partnerships with Nexstar Records, a Nippon Columbia label, to manage Japanese releases for Se7en. Universal Music Japan manage Big Bang's Japanese activities, and Avex Group manage 2NE1's Japanese records. YG Entertainment releases its Korean albums under 21 East Entertainment in China, GMM International in Thailand, and Universal Records in the Philippines.

In 2011, YG Entertainment partnered up with SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, KeyEast, AMENT and Star J Entertainment to create United Asia Management in an effort to promote Korean pop music internationally.

Philanthropy

YG Entertainment is heavily involved in charity work, creating their community service campaign WITH. They donate 100 won for every album sold, 1% of all merchandise sales, and 1,000 won for every concert ticket to charities. In 2009, they raised USD$141,000. They surpassed it the following year with USD$160,000.

Of the total, USD$87,000 were towards a scholarship for Holt Children’s Services while USD$69,000 were towards children with rare diseases. YG Family have also directly delivered USD$4,400 worth of charcoal to families in need during the winter time.[10] The company has also announced that it would be donating around USD$500,000 for disaster relief to Japan after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Artist under YG Entertainment

1. YGE Main SInger

- Big Bang
- 2NE1
- Se7en
- Gummy
- PSY
- 1TYM
- Jinusean
- Masta WU
- Perry
- Teddy
- E.knock
- Yang Hyun SUk
- YG Family

2. YGE Actors and Actress

- Jung Hye Young
- Ku Hye Sun
- Kang Hye Jung
- Sandara Park (Dara of 2NE1)
- Choi Seung Hyun (T.O.P. of Big Bang)
- Kang Daesung (Daesung of Big Bang)
- Lee Seung Hyun (Seungri of Big Bang)

Subsidiaries

1. Former

- 45RPM
- Big Mama
- Huh E Jae
- Ji-eun
- Lexy
- Park Han-byul
- Soul Star
- Stony Skunk
- Swi.T
- XO
- YMGA
- Wheesung

2. YG Family concert and tour

- One Concert 2003 (South Korea)
- Color of the Soul Train (South Korea)
- One Concert 2004 (South Korea)
- Thank U Concert 2005 (South Korea)
- One Concert 2005 (South Korea)
- 10th Anniversary World Tour 2006 (South Korea, Japan, and U.S.)
- One Concert 2007 (South Korea)
- Concert 2010 (South Korea)

Author: Chal (K.O.R.E.A.N.SiTe)
Source: wikipedia
Credit Blog: bigbangupdates