DSP Media
South Korean entertainment company founded in 1991 by Lee Ho-yeon.
DSP Media (DSP 미디어) is a South Korean entertainment company founded in 1991 by Lee Ho-yeon. Its operations include record labels, talent management, music production, event and concert production, and music publishing. In January 2022, RBW acquired the company.
Current artists under DSP Media include Kard, Young Posse, Lee Jin-jae, and Ahn Ye-eun. Its actors and actresses include Kim Min, Lee Joong-ok, Lee Ji-hyun, Lee Hyung-hoon, Oh Hye-won, Lee Seo-young, Chung Ye-jin, Yoon Jung-hoon, Ahn Seo-hyun, Seong Tae, Ju Hyun, Han Jei, Hwang Kyung-ha, and Kang Dae-hyun.
**History**
**1991–2009: Formation and early success** Daesung Enterprise was launched in September 1991 by Lee Ho-yeon to offer public entertainment. By the late 1990s, the company had become a major label in South Korea, alongside SM Entertainment, thanks to the success of groups like Sechs Kies (formed in 1997) and Fin.K.L. (formed in 1998). Click-B debuted in August 1999. In February 1999, the company was renamed DSP Entertainment. After merging with Hoshin Textile Company in March 2006, it became DSP Enti. In 2002, Click-B members Ha Hyun-gon, Yoo Ho-suk, and No Min-hyuk left the group. Fin.K.L members departed DSP in 2006. In September 2008, DSP Enti was renamed DSP Media.
**2010–2020: Change in leadership** In March 2010, Lee Ho-yeon suffered a stroke, and his wife, Choi Mi-kyung, took over running the company. Lee’s retirement due to his stroke was seen as a major factor in the company’s decline. After Choi became president, several members of the girl group Kara filed a lawsuit to end their contracts with DSP. In August 2015, DSP debuted the girl group April, which included former Puretty member Jeon Somin; she left the group in November 2015. In October 2016, another former Puretty member, Yoon Chae-kyung, joined April. On January 15, 2016, Kara officially disbanded after contracts expired for Park Gyuri, Han Seungyeon, and Goo Hara, while Heo Youngji stayed with DSP as a soloist. In July 2017, DSP debuted the four-member co-ed group Kard, which included former Puretty and April member Jeon So-min. On February 14, 2018, Lee Ho-yeon died at age 64 after a long illness. On January 31, 2020, DSP Media launched official accounts on Twitter and V Live for its upcoming boy group DSP N, which included former X1 member Son Dong-pyo.
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- DSP 미디어
- Founder
- Lee Ho-yeon
- Key People
- Kim Jin-woo (CEO) / Min Myeong-gi (executive producer) / Kim Jin-il (head of actors management)
- Industry
- Entertainment
- Genre
- K-pop · R&B · EDM · Hip hop
- Parent
- RBW (since 2022)
- Former Name
- Daesung Enterprise (1991–1999) / DSP Entertainment (2000–2006) / DSP Enti (2006–2007)
- Hq Location City
- Room 101, Antilia Jayang, 92 Jayang-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
- Hq Location Country
- South Korea
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Daesung Enterprise was founded in September 1991 by Lee Ho-yeon. In the late 1990s, it saw significant success with groups like Sechs Kies (formed 1997) and Fin.K.L (formed 1998), becoming one of the top entertainment labels in South Korea alongside SM Entertainment. Click-B was formed in August 1999. In February 1999, the company was renamed DSP Entertainment. After merging with Hoshin Textile Company in March 2006, it was renamed DSP Enti. In September 2008, it was renamed DSP Media.
In March 2010, Lee Ho-yeon suffered a stroke, after which his wife Choi Mi-kyung began running the company. Following this, several members of Kara filed a lawsuit to end their contract. In January 2016, Kara officially disbanded. In July 2017, DSP debuted co-ed group Kard. Lee Ho-yeon died on February 14, 2018, at age 64. In January 2022, RBW acquired 39.1% of DSP Media's shares, making it a subsidiary. In December 2022, DSP acquired Goodfellas Entertainment, and in June 2023, it acquired actor agencies Jikim Entertainment and Urban Works Media. The girl group Young Posse debuted in October 2023.
Reader's Guide
DSP Media played a significant role in shaping the K-pop industry from the 1990s onward, launching iconic groups such as Sechs Kies, Fin.K.L, and Kara. Its early success positioned it as a major competitor to SM Entertainment. The company's trajectory changed after founder Lee Ho-yeon's stroke in 2010 and subsequent death in 2018, leading to a period of decline and eventual acquisition by RBW in 2022. Under RBW, DSP expanded into actor management and debuted new groups like Young Posse. Its legacy includes pioneering idol group formulas and surviving industry shifts, though its influence waned after the 2010s.
Did You Know?
- DSP Media was originally founded as Daesung Enterprise in September 1991 by Lee Ho-yeon.
- In 2006, Fin.K.L members departed DSP Media.
- Lee Ho-yeon died on February 14, 2018, at the age of 64 after a long illness.
- In August 2026, Oh My Girl would switch companies from WM Entertainment to DSP Media.
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