YG Plus

YG Plus Inc. is a South Korean media, advertising, and entertainment company associated with YG Entertainment. The company was formerly known as Phoenix Holdings Inc., a public-relations and advertising business that YG Entertainment acquired from Bongwan Group in November 2014. Following the acquisition, it was renamed YG Plus and became a vehicle for expanding YG's business beyond artist management and recorded music. The company operates across several connected areas of the entertainment value chain. Its activities have included advertising and promotional services, music distribution, the production and licensing of artist-related merchandise, brand development, sports management, and audiovisual content production. This structure allows YG Plus to support both the commercial exploitation of music rights and the wider consumer businesses built around artists and entertainment properties. A major strategic change came in 2019, when YG Plus entered the music-distribution business. Through its Seoul Music identity and wider distribution operations, the company has handled releases connected with YG Entertainment and other labels. Its distribution activities have also included relationships with labels and entertainment companies associated with HYBE, The Black Label, Big Hit Music, Source Music, ADOR, Pledis Entertainment, Belift Lab, JTBC for selected releases, Paktory Company, and BPM Entertainment. The precise roster has changed over time, and some previously associated labels are no longer distributed by the company. YG Plus has also developed or operated consumer-facing businesses. Moonshot is a cosmetics brand launched by YG in 2014 and developed with Chinese partner Huanya Group and Korean cosmetics manufacturer COSON. Nona9on is a luxury streetwear label created with Cheil Industries, Samsung's textile affiliate, and promoted through pop-up retail and celebrity-led campaigns. YG Sports originated as a golf-focused business and later broadened its name and intended scope. YG Studioplex, established with Barami Bunda, represented an effort to participate in Korean television and global Korean-wave content production. The company's associated businesses have therefore extended from music and advertising into beauty, fashion, sports, drama, and digital entertainment. In January 2021, HYBE Corporation and its technology subsidiary Weverse Company invested in YG Plus as part of a merchandising and distribution arrangement. The agreement was intended to connect YG artists with the Weverse platform while strengthening cooperation in merchandise and music distribution. In March of that year, Choi Sung-jun became chief executive officer and former chief executive Yang Min-suk moved to an executive-director role. HYBE later reduced its direct holding in YG Plus, selling its remaining reported stake in September 2025 while retaining exposure to YG Entertainment through Weverse's ownership structure. YG Plus remains a supporting infrastructure company within the wider YG ecosystem rather than a consumer brand identified with one single product. Its role combines rights exploitation, distribution, marketing, licensing, merchandise, and selected content ventures. Because its business lines and partner roster have developed through transactions and affiliated companies, historical descriptions of its subsidiaries and distribution relationships should be read as time-specific rather than as a fixed current portfolio.

YG Plus originated as Phoenix Holdings Inc., a South Korean public-relations and advertising company. YG Entertainment acquired the company from Bongwan Group in November 2014 and changed its name to YG Plus. The transaction gave YG Entertainment a publicly traded platform through which it could pursue businesses adjacent to artist management, recording, and live entertainment. Yang Min-suk, the younger brother of YG Entertainment founder Yang Hyun-suk, was appointed chief executive officer, and YG Entertainment held a reported 38.6% of the company's shares. After the rebranding, YG Plus developed a portfolio that went beyond conventional advertising. Its associated businesses included artist merchandise, licensing, cosmetics, fashion, sports management, and audiovisual production. The company launched or supported consumer brands such as Moonshot and Nona9on, while its YG Sports operation grew from a golf-oriented agency and academy business into a broader sports initiative. YG Studioplex was established in April 2017 with Barami Bunda as a drama and Korean-wave content production company. Its production history included projects such as I Picked Up a Celebrity on the Street, Love Alert, Mr. Queen, Joseon Exorcist, and Dr. Brain, produced with various Korean and international partners. YG Plus entered music distribution in 2019. This move was strategically important because it placed the company closer to the central commercial infrastructure of the music business: release distribution, promotion, rights administration, merchandise, and licensing. The company subsequently used the Seoul Music brand for music promotion and distribution, including the operation of social-media accounts formerly associated with HIGHGRND. Its distribution relationships have included YG Entertainment and several other Korean entertainment labels, although the list of active partners has changed. On January 27, 2021, HYBE Corporation and Weverse Company were reported to have invested 70 billion Korean won in YG Plus. The investment was connected to a broader merchandising and distribution agreement under which YG Entertainment artists would join the Weverse platform. The transaction aligned YG Plus's distribution and merchandise capabilities with HYBE's digital-fan platform and strengthened commercial cooperation between the two entertainment groups. In March 2021, Choi Sung-jun became CEO, while Yang Min-suk moved into an executive-director position. The wider YG Plus portfolio has also changed through ownership adjustments. KPlus, previously known as YG K+, was a model-management partnership involving YG and Chorokbaem Media. Chorokbaem Media acquired half of the company in May 2022, and the business adopted the KPLUS name in August of that year while continuing to collaborate with YG. Uncore was established on November 28, 2024, as an independent label under SLL and YG Plus. These developments illustrate the company's use of partnerships and affiliated labels rather than a single vertically integrated operating model. In September 2025, HYBE sold its entire reported 7.67% direct stake in YG Plus for 38.22 billion won. HYBE continued to have an interest in YG Entertainment through Weverse, but the sale reduced its direct ownership of YG Plus. YG Plus's historical development can therefore be understood as a progression from advertising and public relations into a diversified entertainment-services platform spanning music distribution, artist commerce, licensing, content, and selected lifestyle categories.

• 2025

  HYBE sold its direct YG Plus stake

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  HYBE sold its reported remaining direct stake in YG Plus while retaining exposure to YG Entertainment through Weverse.

• 2024

  Uncore was established

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Uncore was founded as an independent label under SLL and YG Plus.

• 2022

  YG K+ became KPLUS

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Following Chorokbaem Media's acquisition of half of the company, YGKPLUS changed its name to KPLUS.

• 2021

  HYBE and Weverse Company invested in YG Plus

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  The investment created a merchandising and distribution partnership involving YG artists and the Weverse platform.

• 2019

  Music distribution became a business line

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  YG Plus entered music distribution and promotion, later using the Seoul Music identity for related activity.

• 2017

  YG Studioplex was established

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  YG and Barami Bunda created YG Studioplex to produce Korean-wave television and audiovisual content.

• 2016

  Moonshot cosmetics brand launched

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  YG launched Moonshot as a cosmetics brand developed with Huanya Group and COSON.

• 2015

  Moonshot expanded into Southeast Asian Sephora stores

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  Moonshot entered selected Sephora stores in Singapore and Malaysia as part of its international cosmetics rollout.

• 2014

  YG Entertainment acquired Phoenix Holdings

  [1]YG Plusen.wikipedia.org

  YG Entertainment acquired Phoenix Holdings from Bongwan Group and renamed the company YG Plus.

An entertainment-industry platform that commercializes music, artists, brands, and content across distribution, merchandise, advertising, licensing, and selected consumer categories.

• Music services · 2019

  Music distribution and promotion

  YG Plus distributes and promotes recorded music for YG Entertainment and selected external labels. The business expanded in 2019 and forms one of the company's core entertainment-service activities. It connects label releases with digital and physical distribution, promotion, licensing, and related artist-commerce opportunities. The active label roster is not static and has included businesses associated with YG Entertainment, HYBE, The Black Label, and other Korean entertainment companies.

• Music promotion and distribution · 2019

  Seoul Music

  Seoul Music is the YG Plus identity used for music promotion and distribution. It began in June 2019 after YG Plus took over social-media operations associated with the former HIGHGRND label. The brand represents the company's public-facing role in promoting releases and supporting digital music activity.

• Cosmetics · 2016

  Moonshot

  Moonshot is a cosmetics brand developed by YG with China's Huanya Group and Korean cosmetics manufacturer COSON. The brand name refers to the Apollo 11 lunar mission. Its products were manufactured in South Korea and sold through online and physical retail, including Sephora locations in Singapore and Malaysia. The brand used YG artists and Korean-pop-cultural associations to support its international positioning.

• Fashion · 2012

  Nona9on

  Nona9on is a luxury streetwear label created by YG and Cheil Industries, Samsung's textile subsidiary. It operated through secondary retailers, pop-up shops, and fashion-focused promotional events. Its early retail activity included a pop-up at Seoul's Galleria department store and international pop-ups connected with 10 Corso Como in Milan, as well as locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong. YG artists and models were used prominently in marketing.

• Sports management · 2015

  YG Sports

  YG Sports developed from YG Golf Academy, which was created after the acquisition of G-AD Communication in 2015. The original business focused on golf-related representation and training, including work associated with professional golfer Kim Hyo-joo and coach Han Yeon-hee. It was renamed YG Sports in 2017 as the company sought to broaden its sports-business scope.

• Television and audiovisual production · 2017

  YG Studioplex

  YG Studioplex was established jointly by YG and Barami Bunda in 2017 to produce Korean-wave television and audiovisual content for domestic and international audiences. Its credited projects have included I Picked Up a Celebrity on the Street, Love Alert, Mr. Queen, Joseon Exorcist, and Dr. Brain, made with different production and distribution partners. The studio represented YG's effort to build capabilities beyond music and artist management.

• 2015Moonshot Sephora expansion

  Singapore · Malaysia

  Moonshot expanded its retail presence into selected Sephora stores in Singapore and Malaysia, using YG's entertainment profile to support an international cosmetics launch.

  Outcome. The campaign established a retail presence outside South Korea, although later brand status and scale are not confirmed here.

  Source
• 2012Nona9on pop-up and artist-led fashion promotion

  South Korea · Italy · China · Hong Kong

  Nona9on used pop-up stores, fashion retailers, and YG-associated artists and models to market its luxury streetwear line.

  Outcome. The brand reportedly sold out during early international pop-up activity, but no broader campaign performance figures are available.

  Source

• 2025

  HYBE divested its direct YG Plus holdingM&A

  Background

  HYBE adjusted its ownership exposure after its earlier strategic investment in YG Plus.

  Action taken

  HYBE sold its reported entire remaining direct 7.67% stake in YG Plus for 38.22 billion Korean won.

  Aftermath

  HYBE's direct ownership of YG Plus ended according to the cited account, while it retained exposure to YG Entertainment through Weverse.

  Stake-sale proceeds. 7.67% direct stake → 38.22 billion KRW proceeds (September 2025)

  Source

• 2021

  Strategic investment by HYBE and Weverse CompanyM&A

  Background

  YG Plus and HYBE sought cooperation in artist merchandise, music distribution, and digital fan-platform activity.

  Action taken

  HYBE Corporation and Weverse Company invested 70 billion Korean won in YG Plus and agreed on an arrangement connected with YG artists joining Weverse.

  Aftermath

  The transaction linked YG Plus's distribution and merchandise operations with Weverse and increased commercial cooperation between the two entertainment groups.

  Investment amount. 70 billion KRW investment; reported 17.9% stake (January 2021)

  Source

• 2019

  Enter music distributionStrategy

  Background

  The company was expanding beyond advertising and sought a larger role in the commercial infrastructure surrounding recorded music.

  Action taken

  YG Plus entered the music-distribution business and developed related promotion and licensing activity.

  Aftermath

  Music became one of YG Plus's principal operating areas, alongside merchandise and entertainment services.

  Source

• 2014

  Acquire and rebrand Phoenix HoldingsM&A

  Background

  YG Entertainment sought a corporate platform for expanding into advertising, media, and entertainment-adjacent businesses.

  Action taken

  It acquired Phoenix Holdings from Bongwan Group and renamed it YG Plus.

  Aftermath

  YG Plus became a publicly traded vehicle for YG's diversification into distribution, merchandise, brands, and content.

  Source

1. 1YG Plusen.wikipedia.org