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Pledis Entertainment (Hangul: 플레디스 엔터테인먼트) is a South Korean record label and entertainment agency founded in 2007 by Han Sung-soo.
It is currently home to K-pop artists After School, Seventeen, Fromis 9 and TWS.
Its name originates from the pleiades, a star cluster in the constellation Taurus. Its current vice-president is Kim Yeon-soo.
History[]
2007–2012: Founding and early artists[]
Pledis Entertainment was founded in 2007. Son Dam-bi was the first artist to debut under Pledis, and was dubbed the 'female Rain' by media outlets. In its beginning stages, the agency did not have management premises, only a practice room. In January 2009, Pledis debuted its first girl group, After School. A sub-unit of After School called Orange Caramel was formed in 2010, consisting of members Nana, Lizzy, and Raina.
In December 2010, Pledis released Happy Pledis 1st Album, featuring After School, which included the tracks "Love Love Love" and "Someone Is You". Happy Pledis was a series of albums to be released annually, featuring Pledis artists, with proceeds going to charity. Proceeds from the first album were donated to Save the Children.
In July 2011, two further sub-units of After School were created, A.S. Red and A.S. Blue. Happy Pledis 2nd Album, featuring Son Dam-bi, After School, Pledis Boys, and Yoo Ara, was released in December, with proceeds going to UNICEF.
2012–present: Artist changes and development[]
On March 15, 2012, Pledis debuted their first boy band NU’EST with the single "Face". On May 9, Pledis debuted its second girl group, Hello Venus, in partnership with Fantagio.
In June 2012, Kahi "graduated" from After School, but remained signed under Pledis to launch her solo career.
On November 11, 2013, Pledis Entertainment and Chinese agency Yuehua Entertainment held a press conference titled "Yuehua Entertainment X Pledis" at the Beijing Banquet Hall, marking the start of a collaboration under which the sub-unit NU'EST-M was formed with the addition of Chinese member Jason Fulong Fei, known as JA. The six-member team performed for the first time at the press event.
On July 21, 2014, the partnership between Pledis and Fantagio was dissolved. The two members under Pledis, Yoo Ara and Yoonjo, left Hello Venus while the four members under Fantagio continued as a group under the same name. Yoo Ara later left the company and joined Urban Works Entertainment.
In December 2014, Jooyeon "graduated" from After School and signed with Better Ent as an actress in January 2015. That month, Kahi also left the agency.
On May 26, 2015, thirteen-member boy group Seventeen debuted under Pledis, after training under the company for several years. In June 2015, Son Dam-bi left the agency after ten years.
On June 26, 2016, the agency's upcoming third girl group (following After School and Hello Venus), Pristin, released their pre-debut single titled "WE" under the name "Pledis Girlz". Some of the members had previously competed in the talent show Produce 101; however, Pledis trainees and I.O.I members Lim Na-young and Zhou Jieqiong were absent from the music video as they were promoting with the Produce 101 project girl group I.O.I.
On March 21, 2017, Pristin debuted with their first EP Hi! Pristin, and on May 31, 2017, UEE shared a letter to fans announcing her departure from Pledis under After School's graduation system.
On May 31, 2017, UEE graduated from After School after her contract expired.
On May 1, 2018, Lizzy graduated from After School following the expiration of her contract but remains a member of Orange Caramel.
On May 28, 2018, Pristin V, Pristin's first and only sub-unit, debuted with their only single album Like a V.
In June 2018, it was confirmed that After School member Kaeun and trainee Huh Yunjin would participate in the survival show series Produce 48. At the end of the show, it was revealed that Kaeun placed 14th overall and Yunjin placed 26th. Both members failed to make it into the final lineup of the winning group, IZ*ONE. The former returned to her activities as a member of After School, while the latter remained under Pledis Entertainment as a trainee.
On May 24, 2019, Pristin had offically disbanded following the contract terminations of seven of its members, Nayoung, Roa, Yuha, Eunwoo, Rena, Xiyeon and Kyla. The other three members, Kyulkyung (Jieqiong), Yehana and Sungyeon would still remain in the agency.
As of December 2019, Nana is the only remaining active member of After School after they've been on hiatus since 2015, though during that time, according to Lizzy, now under the stage name Park Soo-ah, After School was said not to be disbanded.
On May 25, 2020, it was announced from HYBE Corporation (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) that they've acquired Pledis Entertainment as its major shareholder. It was also announced that Pledis Entertainment will receive financial and expertise support from Hybe Labels while still operating as an independent label. On October 18, 2020, Fair Trade Commission officially approved Hybe Corp.’s acquisition of Pledis Entertainment.
On March 22, 2021, Pledis Entertainment, as well as the other labels part of Hybe Labels, moved to its new headquarters in the Yongsan Trade Center, the new headquarters of Hybe Corporation. On March 31, 2021, the official website of Pledis Entertainment in its Company section changed its physical address to the new building in Yongsan, Seoul.
On August 16, 2021, it was announced from the agency that they will now manage Fromis 9, formed through the 2017 reality girl group survival show Idol School and will withdraw from their previous management agency, Off The Record, which also manged the temporary 12-member project girl group IZ*ONE formed through the 2018 reality girl group survival show Produce 48, until their disbandment on April 29, 2021. Pledis would then take over all management of Fromis 9 following their departure and transfer from Off The Record.
On August 24, 2021, Yunjin transferred from Pledis and she will debut as a member of Source Music's new girl group, Le Sserafim, which is set to debut in May 2022.
On February 28, 2022, it was announced that three members of NU'EST will be leaving the agency and the group would be disbanding on March 15 following the release of their final album, Needle & Bubble.
On July 28, 2022, Pledis Entertainment announced that fromis_9's Jang Gyu-ri would be leaving the group on July 31. The company explained in their statement that when the group transferred to Pledis, every other member of fromis_9 signed a new exclusive artist contract with the company. However, Gyuri chose not to, as she chose to transfer her original contract from CJ E&M's Off The Record that would last only one year. After lengthy discussion about what is the best direction for each other, Gyuri chose not to sign a contract and embark on a new journey as an actress.
On November 7, 2023, Pledis announced their plans to launch a new boy group in the first quarter of 2024. Five members of the then-unnamed boy group, with their faces covered, were first introduced by Seventeen's Hoshi, during the SVT Caratland event in 2023. Their identities are yet to be revealed. On December 21, 2023, the group's name, TWS, was revealed. On the following day, Pledis Entertainment announced that TWS would consist of six members and that they would be making their debut in January 2024. The agency explained that the name is derived from the group's tagline "twenty-four-seven with us", which reflects the group's commitment to maintaining an enduring connection with their fans. On December 1, 2023, Nana has re-signed her contract with Pledis Entertainment. This is the fourth time she has renewed her exclusive contract with the agency since her debut in 2009.
On January 2, 2024, the six members of TWS were introduced. The group's lineup consists of Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon and Kyungmin. Group member Jihoon is also a former member of now-disbanded pre-debut group Trainee A under BigHit Music. On January 22, TWS made their debut with their first mini album, the teen pop-infused Sparkling Blue. As TWS aim to establish the genre of "boyhood pop" with their debut album, the song "Plot Twist" served as the album's title track, discussing the "thrill of a first encounter".
On August 30, 2024, Nana left Pledis Entertainment after deciding not to renew her contract, therefore becoming the final member of After School to leave the company after being with them for 15 years. Two days later, on September 2, Nana signed with SUBLIME to promote as an actress.
On November 29, Pledis Entertainment announced that their agency artist fromis_9 will release a fan song on December 23, before leaving the company on December 31 after deciding not to renew their contracts. The name of fromis_9's fan song "From" was revealed on December 6. On December 17, the group was revealed to be part of the 2024 MBC Gayo Daejejeon lineup on December 31, the last day of their contract with Pledis Entertainment.
Artists[]
Groups[]
- After School
- SEVENTEEN
- Fromis 9
- TWS
Soloists[]
- Bumzu (2011–present)
- Kyulkyung (2018–present)
Singers[]
- Sungyeon
- Yehana
- Minhyun
Producers[]
- Bumzu
- Baekho
- Woozi
- Shannon (Sungyeon)
Former artists[]
- Son Dam Bi (2007–2013)
- Soyoung (2009)
- Bekah (2009–2011)
- A.S. RED (2011)
- Kahi (2009–2012)
- Jungah (2009–2016)
- UEE (2009–2017)
- A.S. BLUE (2011)
- Jooyeon (2009–2015)
- E-Young (2011–2019)
- Orange Caramel (2010–2015)
- Lizzy (2010–2018)
- Raina (2009–2019)
- Kaeun (2012–2019)
- Hellovenus (with Tricell Media) (2012–2014)
- Yoo Ara (2012–2014)
- Yoonjo (2012–2014)
- NU'EST
- NU'EST W (2017–2018)
- Pristin (2016–2019)
- Xiyeon (2016–2019)
- Yuha (2016–2019)
- Kyla (2016–2019)
- Pristin V (2018–2019)
- Nayoung (2016–2019)
- Rena (2016–2019)
- Eunwoo (2016–2019)
- Roa (2016–2019)
- Han Dong Geun (2014–2019)
Discography[]
Happy Pledis discography
- Happy Pledis 1st Album – "Love Love Love" (2010)
- Happy Pledis 2nd Album – "Love Letter" (2011)
- Happy Pledis Digital Single – "Dashing Through The Snow with High Heels" (2012)