IST Entertainment

Lore & Background

IST Entertainment traces its roots to A Cube Entertainment, established in 2011 as an independent label of Cube Entertainment. It signed soloist Huh Gak and launched girl group Apink from former Cube trainees. In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment acquired 70% of the label, and it was renamed Plan A Entertainment in March 2016 after severing ties with Cube. Plan A launched boy group Victon in November 2016 and later acquired actor agency E&T Story Entertainment in early 2018.

Fave Entertainment began as LOEN Tree in 2012, managing LOEN's recording artists, and was spun off as a separate subsidiary in 2016, renamed Fave Entertainment. Its artists included Fiestar, History, IU, and Sunny Hill. Cre.ker Entertainment was founded by Kakao Entertainment in 2014, home to Melody Day and The Boyz.

On February 13, 2019, Kakao Entertainment announced the merger of Plan A and Fave Entertainment, with Plan A as the surviving entity renamed Play M Entertainment. Play M debuted Weeekly in June 2020. On September 17, 2021, Play M and Cre.ker were announced to merge, and on November 12, 2021, the new corporate name IST Entertainment took effect. In 2022, IST debuted boy group ATBO through a reality show and formed a joint venture with Universal Music Japan. In February 2025, Beyond Music fully acquired IST from Kakao, but by September 2025 ownership transferred to Content Technologies. Weeekly terminated contracts in February 2025, and a new boy group Tunexx was announced for March 2026.

Reader's Guide

IST Entertainment represents a significant consolidation within the South Korean entertainment industry, evolving from multiple independent labels under Kakao Entertainment into a single entity. Its history reflects the trend of major entertainment conglomerates restructuring subsidiaries to streamline operations. The company has been home to several influential K-pop acts, including Apink, a long-running girl group, and The Boyz, a popular boy group. The mergers brought together diverse artist rosters and training systems, leading to the debut of groups like Weeekly and ATBO. The company's acquisition by Beyond Music in 2025 and subsequent transfer to Content Technologies highlights ongoing corporate shifts in the K-pop landscape. Despite changes in ownership and artist departures, IST Entertainment continues to debut new groups, such as Tunexx in 2026, maintaining its role as a player in the industry.

Did You Know?

• IST Entertainment was originally formed from the merger of Plan A Entertainment and Fave Entertainment on April 1, 2019, with Plan A being renamed Play M Entertainment.
• The company's first girl group, Apink, debuted in 2011 under the predecessor label A Cube Entertainment.
• IST Entertainment and Universal Music Japan founded a joint venture label called 'Universal Music IST' on April 11, 2022.
• In February 2025, Beyond Music fully acquired IST Entertainment from Kakao Entertainment, but ownership transferred to Content Technologies in September 2025.