{"id":874089,"date":"2026-10-07T15:56:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/874089\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T15:56:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T15:56:08","slug":"kakao-entertainment-strikes-k-pop-partnership-with-warners-atlantic-music-group-to-develop-artists-from-the-earliest-stages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/874089\/","title":{"rendered":"Kakao Entertainment strikes K-pop partnership with Warner\u2019s Atlantic Music Group to develop artists \u2018from the earliest stages\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kakao Entertainment has struck a partnership with Atlantic Music Group (AMG), the Warner Music Group<\/a>-owned label group.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

The two companies will work together on global strategy, music production, distribution, marketing, and promotion for K-pop artists, according to an announcement on Wednesday (October 7).<\/p>\n

Kakao Entertainment and AMG say they will set strategy for K-pop acts \u201cfrom the earliest stages of their careers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kakao Entertainment said the deal establishes \u201ca new business model centered on creating and developing the next global K-pop IP.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neither Kakao Entertainment nor AMG named any artists covered by the partnership, and no financial terms were disclosed.<\/p>\n

Kakao Entertainment will contribute its experience in music IP planning and production, distribution, artist management, marketing, and fan engagement.<\/p>\n

AMG will bring its A&R, marketing, and promotion capabilities, as well as its global network.<\/p>\n

The partnership will go \u201cbeyond simply introducing K-pop music and artists to overseas markets,\u201d according to Kakao Entertainment, with each act\u2019s plan based on its \u201cmusical identity, stage of development, and potential in international markets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The agreement covers song camps and featured collaborations, distribution and digital marketing via streaming platforms and social media, TV and radio appearances, and fan engagement, Kakao Entertainment said.<\/p>\n

The aim is to help K-pop artists build and keep fan bases in North America and other markets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis partnership holds a special meaning because it brings together two companies \u2013 a leading entertainment company in Korea and a major music powerhouse in the U.S. \u2013 with complementary strengths and a shared ambition to unlock new opportunities for K-pop artists and IP on a global scale,\u201d said Joseph Chang, co-CEO of Kakao Entertainment.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy combining our expertise, networks, and market insights in K-pop, we aim to create new pathways for Korean artists to reach broader audiences and build lasting success in the global music market,\u201d Chang added. \u201cWe see this as an important step in our broader efforts to strengthen K-pop\u2019s global presence and deepen collaboration with industry partners around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see this as an important step in our broader efforts to strengthen K-pop\u2019s global presence and deepen collaboration with industry partners around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joseph Chang, Kakao Entertainment<\/p>\n

\u201cKakao Entertainment has built an incredible track record of developing artists and connecting them with passionate audiences,\u201d said Elliot Grainge<\/a>, Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Music Group. \u201cBy combining Kakao\u2019s deep expertise in K-pop with Atlantic Music Group\u2019s global reach and artist development capabilities, we have an exciting opportunity to build careers that resonate with fans all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

AMG\u2018s labels include Atlantic Records<\/a>, 10K Projects<\/a>, and 300 Entertainment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

AMG\u2018s roster includes Bruno Mars, Charli xcx, Coldplay, Charlie Puth, Cardi B, and Miley Cyrus, who signed to Atlantic in July.<\/p>\n

Grainge expanded his remit last month, adding the role of Chairman of ADA in the US. ADA is Warner\u2019s services arm for independent artists and labels.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy combining Kakao\u2019s deep expertise in K-pop with Atlantic Music Group\u2019s global reach and artist development capabilities, we have an exciting opportunity to build careers that resonate with fans all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elliot Grainge, Atlantic Music Group<\/p>\n

Atlantic has released music by K-pop artists before, including APT., the 2024 duet between BLACKPINK member ROS\u00c9 and Bruno Mars.<\/p>\n

APT. was the most-streamed song on Apple Music<\/a> and Deezer<\/a> in 2025 and spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard<\/a> Global 200, MBW reported in January<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The track was nominated for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo\/Group Performance at the 68th Grammy Awards.<\/p>\n

Streaming credits for the APT. single list ROS\u00c9 and Bruno Mars as the recording\u2019s copyright owners, under exclusive license to Atlantic outside Korea.<\/p>\n

ROS\u00c9 is one of two BLACKPINK members with solo deals at Warner labels.<\/p>\n

JISOO joined Warner Records<\/a> under a global solo deal in January 2025.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s other two members signed solo deals with Sony<\/a> Music labels: LISA with RCA Records, and JENNIE with Columbia Records<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Warner Records also inked a global partnership with SM Entertainment and aespa<\/a> in 2022, calling aespa its \u201cfirst-ever K-Pop group.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kakao won control of SM Entertainment<\/a> the following year, and Kakao Entertainment and its parent, Kakao Corp., together hold about 40% of SM.<\/p>\n

Warner Music Korea formed a global partnership with FeelGHood Music<\/a> in May to represent BIBI.<\/p>\n

That followed a March deal between WMG and management firm MAINSTREAM, the company behind Lee Young Ji.<\/p>\n

The AMG deal is not Kakao Entertainment\u2018s first tie-up with a US major label.<\/p>\n

In March 2023, the company partnered with Sony Music\u2019s Columbia Records<\/a> via its Kakao Entertainment America subsidiary.<\/p>\n

That arrangement started with North American distribution, marketing, and promotion for I\u2019ve IVE, the first full-length album from IVE, a girl group from Starship Entertainment, one of Kakao Entertainment\u2018s own labels.<\/p>\n

Chang was Head of Kakao Entertainment America at the time.<\/p>\n

Before joining Kakao, Chang spent time at Sony Music Entertainment<\/a>, where he was named CEO of SME Korea in 2018 and co-CEO of SME\u2019s Asia hub in 2019.<\/p>\n

Chang has been co-CEO of Kakao Entertainment since 2024, and in March took charge of its new Global Growth Center, set up to expand the company internationally.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in the wider industry, Sony Music Group<\/a> Chairman and Sony Music Entertainment CEO Rob Stringer<\/a> told investors in 2025 that the company had completed transactions with independent labels in South Korea.<\/p>\n

Universal Music Group<\/a>, meanwhile, has worked with HYBE, the company behind BTS, since 2017, when UMG struck a deal with Big Hit Entertainment, as HYBE was then known, to distribute the group\u2019s music in Japan.<\/p>\n

In 2024, UMG and HYBE signed a 10-year agreement giving UMG exclusive distribution rights to music from HYBE\u2018s artists and labels.<\/p>\n

As part of that deal, UMG made a minority investment in HYBE\u2018s Weverse platform, MBW reported at the time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Geffen Records and HYBE formed girl group KATSEYE through a joint venture, and unveiled a second group, SAINT SATINE, in May.<\/p>\n

UMG\u2018s Republic Records<\/a> also released the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack.<\/p>\n

In June, HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk<\/a> and UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge<\/a> appeared together at a HYBE town hall in Seoul<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sir Lucian is the father of AMG\u2018s Elliot Grainge.<\/p>\n

South Korea was the world\u2019s seventh-largest recorded music market in 2025, with trade revenues of USD $736 million, according to IFPI<\/a>.Music Business Worldwide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kakao Entertainment has struck a partnership with Atlantic Music Group (AMG), the Warner Music Group-owned label group. The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":874090,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[88,216],"class_list":["post-874089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874089","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=874089"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874089\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/874090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=874089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=874089"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=874089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}