The Most Popular K-Pop Agency, Ranked

Choose the agency you think is the most popular!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Updated on Apr 30, 2024 06:41
In the dynamic world of K-Pop, fans often debate which agency stands out in nurturing talent and producing chart-topping music. Whether you’re a devoted follower or a casual listener, understanding which agency is leading can enhance your appreciation of the industry and the music it creates. This website allows you to cast your vote and see how your favorite matches up against others in real time. It's a fun and engaging way to connect with the global K-Pop community and influence which agency is recognized for their exceptional contribution to the music scene.

What Is the Most Popular K-Pop Agency?

  1. 1
    57
    votes

    SM Entertainment

    Lee Soo-man
    SM Entertainment is one of the largest and most successful K-Pop agencies, home to popular groups such as EXO, Red Velvet, Super Junior, and Girls' Generation. They are known for their high-quality production and global reach.
    SM Entertainment is one of the leading K-Pop agencies in South Korea, specializing in talent management, music production, and entertainment marketing. It was founded by Lee Soo-man in 1995 and has since become a powerhouse in the K-Pop industry. With a focus on the training and development of its artists, SM Entertainment has introduced some of the biggest names in K-Pop to the world.
    • Founded: 1995
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • Number of Artists: Over 100
    • Record Labels: SM Entertainment, SM Town, SM Station
    • Subsidiaries: SM C&C, KeyEast, Mystic Story, Dream Maker Entertainment
  2. 2
    48
    votes

    JYP Entertainment

    Park Jin-young
    JYP Entertainment is another major K-Pop agency, known for producing popular groups such as TWICE, GOT7, and Stray Kids. They are also home to solo artists like Park Jin-young and Sunmi.
    JYP Entertainment is one of the most popular K-Pop agencies in South Korea. Founded by Park Jin-young, also known as J.Y. Park, in 1997, the company has played a significant role in shaping the Korean pop music industry. JYP Entertainment is known for its diverse talent roster and its focus on producing high-quality music and entertainment content. With its headquarters in Seoul, the agency has expanded its reach globally, promoting and managing various K-Pop groups and artists.
    • Year Founded: 1997
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • CEO: Park Jin-young
    • Number of Artists: Around 60+
    • Notable Groups: TWICE, GOT7, ITZY, Stray Kids
    JYP Entertainment in other rankings
  3. 3
    24
    votes

    YG Entertainment

    Yang Hyun-suk
    YG Entertainment is a well-known K-Pop agency, responsible for producing popular groups such as BIGBANG, BLACKPINK, and 2NE1. They are known for their distinctive hip-hop sound and edgy style.
    YG Entertainment, also known as YG, is a leading South Korean entertainment agency specializing in K-Pop music. Founded in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk, a former member of the popular K-Pop group Seo Taiji and Boys, YG has gained international recognition for its artist management, producing successful acts like BIGBANG and BLACKPINK.
    • Year Established: 1996
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • Primary Focus: Music production and artist management
    • Notable Artists: BIGBANG, BLACKPINK, WINNER, iKON, AKMU
    • Subsidiaries: YG PLUS, YGKPLUS, HIGHGRND, THE BLACK LABEL
  4. 4
    22
    votes

    Big Hit Entertainment

    Bang Si-hyuk
    Big Hit Entertainment is a rising K-Pop agency, known for producing the global sensation BTS. They also manage solo artist Lee Hyun and the boy group TXT.
    Big Hit Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company and the driving force behind the global K-Pop sensation BTS. It was founded in 2005 by music producer Bang Si-hyuk and is known for its innovative and strategic approach in the music industry.
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • Year Founded: 2005
    • Notable Artists: BTS, TXT
    • Global Reach: Big Hit artists have a massive following worldwide.
    • Music Production: Big Hit produces and markets music for their artists.
  5. 5
    14
    votes

    Pledis Entertainment

    Han Sung-soo
    Pledis Entertainment is a K-Pop agency that manages popular groups such as SEVENTEEN and NU'EST. They are known for their unique approach to music and choreography.
    Pledis Entertainment is a popular Korean entertainment agency specializing in the management of K-Pop idols. It was founded by Han Sung-soo in 2007 and has since grown to become one of the leading agencies in the industry.
    • Year Founded: 2007
    • Founder: Han Sung-soo
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • Notable Groups: SEVENTEEN, NU'EST, PRISTIN
    • Artists Management: Pledis manages various K-Pop artists including soloists, boy groups, and girl groups
  6. 6
    16
    votes
    Starship Entertainment is a K-Pop agency known for producing popular groups such as MONSTA X and Cosmic Girls. They are also home to solo artists like K.Will and Jeong Sewoon.
    Starship Entertainment is a leading South Korean entertainment agency specializing in K-Pop. It was founded by Kim Shi-dae in 2008.
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • Artists: GFriend, MONSTA X, WJSN, CRAVITY, Soyu, K.Will
    • Debut Year: 2008
    • Subsidiaries: Starship X, King Kong Entertainment
    • Training System: Starship Academy
  7. 7
    11
    votes

    Cube Entertainment

    Hong Seung-sung
    Cube Entertainment is a K-Pop agency that manages groups such as (G)I-DLE, CLC, and BTOB. They are known for their diverse roster of artists and experimental music style.
    Cube Entertainment is one of the most popular K-Pop agencies in South Korea. It was founded in 2006 and has gained significant recognition in the industry. Cube Entertainment is known for discovering and managing talented artists who have achieved great success in the K-Pop scene.
    • Established: 2006
    • Headquarters: Seongdong District, Seoul, South Korea
    • Artists: Pentagon, (G)I-DLE, BtoB, CLC, Jo Kwon, and more
    • Subsidiaries: United Cube, Cube DC, CubeTV, and more
    • Notable Achievements: Numerous music chart successes, international recognition, collaborations with global artists
  8. 8
    10
    votes

    FNC Entertainment

    Han Seong-ho
    FNC Entertainment is a K-Pop agency that manages popular groups such as AOA and SF9. They are also home to soloists like CNBLUE's Jung Yong-hwa and N.Flying's Yoo Hwe-seung.
    FNC Entertainment is a leading South Korean entertainment company and talent agency specializing in promoting and managing K-Pop artists. It was founded in 2006 by Han Seong-ho.
    • Artists: FT Island, CNBLUE, AOA, SF9, Cherry Bullet, N.Flying, P1Harmony, HONEYST, and more
    • Variety Shows: Produce 101, Cheongdam-dong 111, Summer Vacation, and more
    • Actors: Jung Hae In, Noh Ji Hoon, Kwon Nara, and more
    • Subsidiaries: FNC Add Culture, FNC Academy, FNC Search, FNC Jewelry, FNC Key Events
    • Global Partnerships: Warner Music Japan, CJ E&M, JTBC Studios
  9. 9
    5
    votes

    Woollim Entertainment

    Lee Jung-yeop
    Woollim Entertainment is a K-Pop agency that manages groups such as INFINITE and Lovelyz. They are known for their impressive live performances and emotional ballads.
    Woollim Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company specializing in K-pop music. It was founded in 2003 and has gained recognition for managing successful K-pop groups and artists.
    • Debut Year: 2003
    • Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea
    • Subsidiary: Woollim Label
    • Notable Groups: Infinite, Lovelyz, Golden Child
    • Solo Artists: Kim Sung-kyu, Jang Dong-woo, Nam Woo-hyun
  10. 10
    3
    votes

    RBW Entertainment

    Kim Jin-woo
    RBW Entertainment is a K-Pop agency that manages popular groups such as MAMAMOO and ONEUS. They are also home to solo artist ONEWE. They are known for their powerful vocals and soulful music style.
    RBW Entertainment is a well-known K-Pop agency that was established in 2008. It is responsible for managing and producing various talented artists in the Korean music industry. The agency aims to deliver high-quality music and performances to fans worldwide.
    • Year of establishment: 2008
    • Artists under contract: Mamamoo, ONEUS, ONEWE, PURPLE KISS
    • Subsidiaries: WA Entertainment, Purple Island Music
    • Main focus: Vocal-based groups and soloists
    • Unique concept: Each group has its own musical color and distinct style

Missing your favorite agency?

Graphs
Discussion

Ranking factors for popular agency

  1. Sales and Revenue
    The overall sales and revenue generated by the agency's artists, including album sales, digital downloads, concert tickets, and merchandise, can be considered as a primary indicator.
  2. Market Share
    The share of the K-Pop market each agency holds, based on their artists' popularity, album sales, streams, and revenue.
  3. Artist Roster
    The number of successful and popular artists currently under the agency's management, as well as the quality and impact of their discography.
  4. International Recognition
    The agency's artists' international impact, measured through their chart positions in international music rankings, tour locations, and awards won.
  5. Online Presence
    Social media and online popularity, such as YouTube views, number of followers, and website traffic, can be considered as a measure of the agency's popularity.
  6. Awards and Achievements
    The number of music awards and nominations that the agency's artists have won, which reflects their artists' success and recognition within the K-Pop industry.
  7. Artist Development and Training
    The agency's reputation for developing and nurturing artists, and the quality of their training, which is often a key factor in producing successful acts.
  8. Management and Reputation
    The agency's overall image in the industry, including how effectively they are managing their artists and how well they maintain positive relationships with fans and the public.
  9. Longevity and Consistency
    The agency's history within the K-Pop industry and their ability to maintain continued success with their artists over time.
  10. Innovation and Influence
    The agency's contributions to the development of the K-Pop industry, including their ability to introduce new genres, styles, and concepts, and their influence on other agencies and artists.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most popular K-Pop agency. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or agency is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 2874 views
  • 183 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each agency once every 24 hours. The rank of each agency is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most popular k-pop agency

K-Pop has become a global phenomenon in recent years, and its agencies play a crucial role in shaping the industry. These agencies are responsible for discovering and training new talent, producing music and videos, and managing the careers of their artists. With fierce competition among agencies, fans are always curious about which one is the most successful. In this article, we explore the most popular K-Pop agencies and what makes them stand out. From Big Hit Entertainment, home to global sensation BTS, to YG Entertainment, known for producing some of the biggest names in K-Pop, we delve into the world of K-Pop agencies and their impact on the industry.

Share this article