IST Entertainment
Corporate brand
UnclaimedSouth Korean entertainment company and record label formed through the consolidation of several Kakao-affiliated music agencies. A South Korean music and artist-management company that operated from 2016 until its merger into Play M Entertainment in 2019.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
IST Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company and record label whose current identity emerged from the consolidation of several agencies associated with LOEN Entertainment, Kakao M, and later Kakao Entertainment. Its corporate history begins with A Cube Entertainment, established in 2011 as an independent label connected to Cube Entertainment. A Cube's early roster included solo singer Huh Gak and the girl group Apink, which became one of the label's defining acts. After LOEN Entertainment acquired a majority stake in 2015, the company was renamed Plan A Entertainment in 2016, reflecting its separation from Cube Entertainment. Plan A subsequently launched the boy group Victon and expanded beyond music management through an acquisition involving actor agency E&T Story Entertainment. A parallel branch of the company's history comes from Fave Entertainment, originally created in 2012 as LOEN Tree to manage LOEN's recording artists. It became a separate subsidiary in 2016 and managed or hosted artists including IU, Fiestar, History, and Sunny Hill, while also operating a trainee system associated with televised survival programs. In 2019, Plan A and Fave were merged. Plan A survived as the legal entity and was renamed Play M Entertainment, absorbing Fave's assets, artists, and trainees. The resulting company introduced Weeekly, developed from the project previously known as Fave Girls and Play M Girls, and continued to manage established acts such as Apink and Victon. IST's structure expanded again through the merger of Play M Entertainment and Cre.ker Entertainment. Cre.ker had been established within the LOEN/Kakao corporate family and was associated with groups including The Boyz and Melody Day. The merger was announced in 2021, and the new corporate name, IST Entertainment, took effect on November 1, 2021. The combined company therefore brought together artist management, music production, trainee development, group promotion, and entertainment-content operations under a single label identity. After adopting the IST name, the company pursued new artist development projects. It announced a survival-program-based boy-group project in 2022, resulting in the formation of ATBO after The Origin – A, B, Or What?. IST also announced a joint venture with Universal Music Japan in April 2022 under the name Universal Music IST, indicating an effort to connect its Korean artist-development system with Japanese distribution and promotion. The label's publicly documented roster has changed substantially over time: The Boyz, Apink, Victon, Weeekly, and other acts have subsequently departed or ended contracts, while the company has continued to develop new projects. Beyond Music announced its full acquisition of IST from Kakao Entertainment in February 2025, and later reporting described a transfer of ownership rights to Content Technologies. IST is therefore best understood as an evolving Korean music and entertainment platform rather than simply the original A Cube or Plan A label. Plan A Entertainment was a South Korean entertainment company focused on artist management, music production, and the development of idol groups. It emerged in March 2016 when A Cube Entertainment changed its name after becoming part of the LOEN Entertainment corporate structure and no longer being affiliated with Cube Entertainment. The company inherited A Cube's principal activities and artists, most notably the girl group Apink and solo singer Huh Gak, and expanded its roster by launching the boy group Victon in November 2016. The company's roots were in A Cube Entertainment, which had been established in 2011 as an independent label associated with Cube Entertainment. A Cube developed Apink from former Cube trainees and signed Huh Gak as its first solo artist. In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment acquired a 70 percent stake in the label. The subsequent rebranding to Plan A reflected the label's new corporate affiliation and separation from the Cube naming system. Plan A's business combined record-label functions with talent management. It supported music releases, promotions, live activities, and entertainment careers for its signed performers. Apink was the company's most established act and remained a central part of its identity, while Victon represented the label's principal new boy-group launch. In early 2018, Plan A also acquired a 60 percent stake in E&T Story Entertainment, an actor-management agency owned within the wider Kakao M structure. Later that year, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kakao M after the departure of E&T Story founder and co-chief executive Choi Jin-ho and the sale of the remaining outside shares. Plan A did not continue as an independent brand. On February 13, 2019, Kakao M announced that Plan A and Fave Entertainment would be combined, with Plan A surviving as the legal entity. The merger took effect on April 1, 2019, and the surviving company was renamed Play M Entertainment. Fave Entertainment's assets, artists, and trainees were absorbed into the enlarged organization. Plan A therefore represents a distinct historical phase in the development of the entertainment business that later became IST Entertainment, rather than a currently operating company. IST Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company and record label whose current identity emerged from the consolidation of several agencies associated with LOEN Entertainment, Kakao M, and later Kakao Entertainment. Its corporate history begins with A Cube Entertainment, established in 2011 as an independent label connected to Cube Entertainment. A Cube's early roster included solo singer Huh Gak and the girl group Apink, which became one of the label's defining acts. After LOEN Entertainment acquired a 70 percent stake in November 2015, the company was renamed Plan A Entertainment in March 2016, reflecting its separation from Cube Entertainment. Plan A subsequently launched the boy group Victon in November 2016 and expanded beyond music management by acquiring a 60 percent stake in actor agency E&T Story Entertainment in early 2018; after E&T Story founder and co-chief executive Choi Jin-ho resigned and the remaining 30 percent of shares were sold for 3.51 billion won, the agency became wholly owned by Kakao M. After adopting the IST name, the company continued new artist-development projects. In 2022 it announced a boy-group project based on a survival program, which ultimately formed ATBO through The Origin – A, B, Or What?. IST also announced in April 2022 a joint venture with Universal Music Japan called Universal Music IST, signaling an intent to connect its Korean artist-development system with Japanese distribution and promotion. The label's publicly documented roster changed significantly over time: groups such as The Boyz, Apink, Victon, and Weeekly subsequently departed or had their contracts terminated, while the company continued to develop new projects. Beyond Music announced in February 2025 that it had fully acquired IST from Kakao Entertainment, with later reporting describing a transfer of ownership to Content Technologies. IST is therefore best understood as an evolving Korean music and entertainment platform rather than simply the former A Cube or Plan A label.
History
IST Entertainment's history is rooted in a sequence of Korean music-label reorganizations. A Cube Entertainment was established in 2011 as an independent label associated with Cube Entertainment. Its first solo artist was Huh Gak, and it also developed Apink from former Cube trainees. Apink became the central early act of the business and helped establish its identity in the Korean idol market. In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment acquired a 70 percent stake in A Cube. Because the label was no longer directly affiliated with Cube Entertainment, it announced in March 2016 that it would operate under the name Plan A Entertainment. Plan A expanded its roster with the debut of the boy group Victon in November 2016. The company also entered actor management by acquiring a majority interest in E&T Story Entertainment in early 2018. Following changes in ownership and shareholder structure, the agency became wholly owned by Kakao M, the successor to LOEN Entertainment. The other important predecessor was Fave Entertainment. It began in 2012 as LOEN Tree, a unit intended to manage LOEN's recording artists. In 2016 it was separated as an independent subsidiary and renamed Fave Entertainment. Its associated artists included IU, Fiestar, History, and Sunny Hill, and its trainee pool supplied participants for Korean television survival programs. Fave also announced the development of a prospective girl group called Fave Girls in 2018. In February 2019, Kakao announced that Plan A and Fave would merge. The merger took effect on April 1, with Plan A as the surviving entity. The combined company was subsequently renamed Play M Entertainment. Fave's assets, artists, and trainees were incorporated into the new structure. The Fave Girls project became Play M Girls and eventually produced Weeekly, which debuted in 2020 as the company's first girl group since Apink. IST's third major predecessor was Cre.ker Entertainment, a label established within the LOEN corporate ecosystem in 2014. Cre.ker was associated with acts including Melody Day and The Boyz. In September 2021, Kakao Entertainment announced that Play M and Cre.ker would merge. The resulting company adopted the IST Entertainment name, effective November 1, 2021, and publicly announced the new identity in November. The new company continued to invest in idol-group development. In 2022, IST announced a reality-competition project that would select a new boy group. The program, The Origin – A, B, Or What?, premiered in March, and its final lineup was announced in May. The seven selected contestants debuted as ATBO in July 2022. In the same year, IST and Universal Music Japan created Universal Music IST, a joint venture intended to support activity linking the Korean and Japanese markets. The company's roster later contracted as several established acts left. The Boyz, Victon, Apink members, and Weeekly members are listed as former artists for different periods, reflecting the fluid contract and group-management arrangements common to the Korean entertainment industry. In February 2025, Beyond Music announced the full acquisition of IST Entertainment from Kakao Entertainment. Later reporting described the transfer of ownership rights to Content Technologies. The available reference material therefore presents IST as an active company undergoing continuing ownership and roster changes. Plan A Entertainment's direct predecessor was A Cube Entertainment, an independent label established in 2011 in association with Cube Entertainment. A Cube signed solo singer Huh Gak and developed Apink, a girl group formed in part from former Cube Entertainment trainees. Apink became the label's defining act and provided the business with an established foundation in South Korea's idol-pop market. In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment acquired 70 percent of A Cube Entertainment. LOEN was later renamed Kakao M and ultimately became part of Kakao Entertainment. Because the label was no longer affiliated with Cube Entertainment, it announced a new identity, Plan A Entertainment, in March 2016. The rebranding preserved the label's existing management and music operations while placing them within LOEN's expanding multi-label structure. Plan A's most significant new development was the launch of Victon in November 2016. The group became the company's principal new boy-group project and broadened its roster beyond the established Apink and solo activities associated with Huh Gak. The company continued to combine idol management, music production, release promotion, and related entertainment services. In early 2018, Plan A expanded into actor representation by acquiring a 60 percent interest in E&T Story Entertainment. The transaction connected Plan A with a separate talent-management business rather than limiting it exclusively to music. During the following months, E&T Story founder and co-chief executive Choi Jin-ho resigned, and 30 percent of the remaining shares were sold for 3.51 billion won. After the ownership changes, E&T Story became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kakao M. Plan A's independent existence ended as part of a broader consolidation of Kakao M's entertainment labels. On February 13, 2019, Kakao M announced that Plan A Entertainment and Fave Entertainment would merge on April 1. Plan A was designated the surviving entity and took over Fave's assets, remaining artists, and trainees. Following the merger, the surviving company was renamed Play M Entertainment. The later combination of Play M with Cre.ker Entertainment produced IST Entertainment, making Plan A an important predecessor brand in that corporate lineage, but not an operating brand after 2019. In November 2015, LOEN Entertainment acquired a 70 percent stake in A Cube. Because the label was no longer directly affiliated with Cube Entertainment, it announced in March 2016 that it would operate under the name Plan A Entertainment. Plan A expanded its roster with the debut of the boy group Victon in November 2016. The company also entered actor management by acquiring a 60 percent interest in E&T Story Entertainment in early 2018. During the following months, E&T Story founder and co-chief executive Choi Jin-ho resigned, and 30 percent of the remaining shares were sold for 3.51 billion won. After the ownership changes, E&T Story became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kakao M, the successor to LOEN Entertainment.
- 2025
Beyond Music announces full acquisition
[1]Beyond Music announced the acquisition of IST Entertainment from Kakao Entertainment.
- 2022
ATBO selected through The Origin
[1]A seven-member lineup was selected through The Origin – A, B, Or What? and debuted as ATBO.
- 2022
Universal Music IST founded
[1]IST Entertainment and Universal Music Japan announced a joint venture label.
- 2021
IST Entertainment identity introduced
[1]Play M and Cre.ker were combined, and the IST Entertainment name took effect on November 1.
- 2020
Weeekly debuts
[1]The former Fave Girls project debuted as Weeekly, becoming Play M's first girl group after Apink.
- 2019
Plan A and Fave merge
[1]The two Kakao-affiliated labels were consolidated on April 1, with the surviving Plan A entity later renamed Play M Entertainment.
- 2019
Merger into Play M Entertainment
[1]Plan A merged with Fave Entertainment on April 1 as the surviving entity and was renamed Play M Entertainment.
- 2018
Expansion into actor management
[1]Plan A acquired 60 percent of E&T Story Entertainment; after founder and co-CEO Choi Jin-ho resigned and 30 percent of remaining shares were sold for 3.51 billion won, the agency became wholly owned by Kakao M.
- 2016
A Cube renamed Plan A Entertainment
[1]The company announced its Plan A Entertainment name in March after ending its affiliation with Cube Entertainment.
- 2016
Victon debuts
[1]Plan A launched the boy group Victon in November, its first boy group and principal new artist-development initiative after the rebranding.
Products and positioning
A Korean idol-focused entertainment company combining music-label operations, artist management, trainee development, and cross-border partnerships, with roots in the LOEN/Kakao M multi-label structure.
Girl group · 2011
Apink
Apink was developed from former Cube Entertainment trainees and became the principal early act associated with A Cube and Plan A. The group represented the label's girl-group management and recorded-music business for more than a decade and carried over into the Plan A period after the 2016 rebranding. Several members' contracts with IST ended at different times. Apink was developed by Plan A's predecessor A Cube Entertainment and became the company's most established idol act. The group carried over into the Plan A period after the 2016 rebranding and served as a core pillar of the label's artist-management and recorded-music business.
Boy group · 2016
Victon
Victon was launched by Plan A Entertainment in 2016 and became one of the company's principal boy-group projects before its members' contracts ended in later years. Victon was Plan A Entertainment's first boy group and debuted in November 2016. Its launch represented the company's principal artist-development initiative after the transition from A Cube to Plan A and expanded the label's roster in the male idol market. Victon was launched by Plan A Entertainment in November 2016 as the company's first boy group and principal new artist-development initiative after the transition from A Cube. It became one of the company's principal boy-group projects before its members' contracts ended in later years.
Boy group · 2017
The Boyz
The Boyz originated under Cre.ker Entertainment, one of the predecessor labels incorporated into IST. The group was therefore a major part of the combined company's inherited roster before departing in 2024.
Girl group · 2020
Weeekly
Weeekly developed from the trainee project first known as Fave Girls and later as Play M Girls. The group debuted in 2020 as the first girl group launched by the Play M organization after Apink. IST later announced the termination of all members' contracts.
Boy group · 2022
ATBO
ATBO was formed through the IST-produced survival program The Origin – A, B, Or What?. The final seven-member lineup was announced in May 2022, and the group debuted in July of the same year.
Solo singer
Huh Gak
Huh Gak was the first solo artist signed by the predecessor label A Cube Entertainment. His activities formed part of the solo recorded-music and artist-management operations inherited by Plan A after the 2016 rebranding.
Actor-management agency
E&T Story Entertainment
E&T Story Entertainment was an actor-management agency in which Plan A acquired a 60 percent stake in early 2018. The investment extended Plan A's activities beyond music and idol management before the agency became wholly owned by Kakao M.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022The Origin – A, B, Or What?
South Korea
IST used a televised reality-competition format to recruit and select the members of a new boy group, combining trainee evaluation with public-facing entertainment programming. The final seven contestants became ATBO, which debuted in July 2022.
Outcome. The final seven contestants became ATBO, which debuted in July 2022.
Brand decisions
2025
Beyond Music acquisitionM&ABackground
IST had been operating within the Kakao Entertainment group after the earlier LOEN and Kakao reorganizations.
Action taken
Beyond Music announced that it had fully acquired IST Entertainment from Kakao Entertainment.
Aftermath
IST was to continue as a subsidiary of Beyond Music; later reporting described a subsequent transfer of ownership rights to Content Technologies.
2022
ATBO launchedProduct launchBackground
IST developed a new boy group through the reality competition The Origin – A, B, Or What?.
Action taken
The company selected seven finalists and debuted them as ATBO.
Aftermath
ATBO became a new group in IST's post-merger artist portfolio.
2021
Play M and Cre.ker mergerM&ABackground
Kakao Entertainment announced another consolidation involving Play M Entertainment and Cre.ker Entertainment.
Action taken
The two companies were combined under the IST Entertainment name, effective November 1, 2021.
Aftermath
The new company inherited artists and business capabilities from both predecessor labels.
2019
Plan A and Fave consolidationM&ABackground
Kakao Entertainment sought to consolidate two related labels with overlapping music-management and trainee operations.
Action taken
Plan A absorbed Fave's assets, artists, and trainees and later changed its name to Play M Entertainment.
Aftermath
The combined company launched Weeekly and operated a broader artist-development platform.
2019
Merger with Fave EntertainmentM&ABackground
Kakao M consolidated two of its entertainment labels as part of a broader restructuring.
Action taken
Plan A and Fave Entertainment merged on April 1, with Plan A surviving and taking in Fave's assets, artists, and trainees. The surviving entity was renamed Play M Entertainment.
Aftermath
Plan A ceased to operate as a separate brand, becoming a predecessor to Play M Entertainment and the later IST Entertainment.
2018
Acquisition of a majority stake in E&T Story EntertainmentM&ABackground
Plan A sought to broaden its entertainment activities beyond music and idol-group management.
Action taken
Plan A acquired 60 percent of E&T Story Entertainment. Subsequent share transactions resulted in the agency becoming wholly owned by Kakao M.
Aftermath
The transaction connected Plan A's operations with actor management within the Kakao M structure.
2016
A Cube renamed Plan A EntertainmentStrategyBackground
LOEN Entertainment's majority acquisition changed the label's corporate affiliation, and the company was no longer associated with Cube Entertainment.
Action taken
The label adopted the Plan A Entertainment name in March 2016 while continuing its artist-management and music activities.
Aftermath
The rebranded company launched Victon later in 2016 and operated as a LOEN/Kakao M subsidiary until its 2019 merger.
Sources1 sources
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