Cube Entertainment

Label Facts

Cube Entertainment Inc. is a record Label, talent agency, a music production company and an event management company. It was founded as Playcube Inc. on 29. August 2006 by Hong Seung-sung (aka Simon Hong) and Shin Jung-hwa (Monica Shin). As Monica Shin formerly was CEO of JYP Entertainment sometimes Cube Entertainment is mistaken as subsidiary of JYP Entertainmet.

The company´s philosophy consists of supporting their artists by writing, composing and record their songs to become artist type idols.

Furthermore Cube Entertainment donates for charity projects and supports people affected by disasters or accidents. BEAST, 4minute, G.Na, BTOB, and CLC donated the biggest part of their earnings from the „Cube Festival“ in Shanghai to the victims of the Tianjin explosions in 2015.

Cube Entertainment´s former CEO Hong Seung-sung also is a member of Honor Society and donated 100 million Wuan to people suffering under rare diseases. He himself has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for seven years. United Cube also participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for the disease.

In June 2009 Cube Entertainment´s fist girl group 4Minute debuted followed by the first boy group BEAST in October.

In 2011 the independent label A Cube was founded contracting the girl group Apink debuting in the same year. 2012 with Cube DC another sub-label was founded managing the boy band BTOB.

In September 2012 with Kim Kiri the first comedian signed onto Cube Entertainment. Kim was a regular cast in Gag Concert. By end of the year Park Chung-min became CEO of Cube Entertainment replacing Hong Seung-sung who had to step down due to his sickness.

2013 with Rain the first entertainer with signed a contract with Cube Entertainment come into effect as he finished his military service on July 10th. In this year a digital single from Shin Ji-hoon was released which reached the top 6 in the reality show and singing competition „K-Pop Star 2“. The soloist Oh Ye-ri release her single „Because of You” on November 6th. In August 2014 the 2013 founded sub-label Cube DC merged with Cube Entertainment.

In March 2015 Cube Entertainment´s second girl group CLC debuted. By end of 2015 A Cube Entertainment managing Apink and Huh Gak by this time was bought by LOEN Entertainment (today Kakao M) by acquiring the stock majority of 70%. A Cube became a distinct label of the company and was renamed Plan A Entertainment.

In March 2016 Starline Entertainment was acquired by Cube Entertainment. In June Cube's fist girl group 4Minute disbanded. In October 2016 the third boy group of Cube, Pentagon, was introduced after BEAST left Cube Entertainment in December. By end of 2016 Shin Dae-nam was elected for CEO replacing Park Chung-min.

At the beginning of 2017 Universal Music sold his 7% share in Cube. Afterwards Cube Entertainment signed a distribution contract with Kakao M and since then most of Cube´s music is distributed by Kakao M. Mid of 2017 the trainees Yoo Seon-ho and Lai Kuan-lin participated in the second season of the show ”Produce 101”. Lai Kuan-lin made into the final lineup of the project boygroup Wanna One. Yoo Seon-ho reached the 17th place. Lai Kuan-lin debuted on August 7th 2018 with at Wanna One, although the member´s contracts officially ended on December 31th 2018. Indeed the group existed until their farewell concert on January 27th 2019 and until then they also attend official appointments.

Jeon So-yeon, who participated in the first season of “Produce 101” and “Unpretty Rapstar” debuted in November 2017 with her solo single “Jelly”. In the same month Jo Kwon of 2 AM announced that he signed with Cube Entertainment as solo artist, after he was under contract with JYP Entertainment for 16 years. In November 2017 D’Live Co. declared that they want to sell their stakes in iHQ an Cube Entertainment.

On März 5th 2018 the actor, host and comedian Lee Hwi-jae signed with Cube Entertainment. In a press release in April 2018 Shin Dae-Nam announced that Cube Entertainment made profit in 2017 after big losses in 2016. In May 2018 Cube Entertaiment presented with (G)I-DLE their third Girl Group. The „2018 United Cube -One“ Konzert which took place welches on June 16th was sold out after two minutes in pre sale. In August 2018 the members of Pentagon E'Dawn and Hyuna stated that they are in a relationship. Consequently, Cube Entertainment announced that it is under consideration to cancel the contracts of E'Dawn and Hyuna. Eventually Cube and Hyuna reached an agreemnet to terminate her contract. To take root on the Chinese market Cube Entertainment signed a partnership agreement on October 25th with Haohao Wenhua Media Company (Hot Idol, Haohao Bangyang Agency) for activities in China. In November 2018 the ballad-group “A Train To Autumn” debuted with their digital single “That Season You Were In" in which Kino (Pentagon) was incorporated as songwriter. On November 14th 2018 Cube Entertainment officially announced E'Dawn's departure. On November 23th 2018 Cube Entertainment founded the label „U-CUBE“ with Universal Music Japan as part of a global collaboration.

Since beginning of 2019 Cube Entertainment went into strategic partnership with NetEase Music to promote in China.

Signed Artists

  • Jo Kwon
  • Jang Hyun-seung
  • Jeon So-yeon
  • Lee Chang-sub
  • Jo Woo-chan
  • Jung Il-hoon
  • Yoo Seon-ho
  • Lee Min-hyuk
  • Elkie
  • BtoB
  • CLC
  • Pentagon
  • (G)I-dle
  • A Train To Autumn
  • BtoB Blue
  • Wooseok x Kuanlin

Sources for this article was own research.