Pledis Entertainment

Pledis Entertainment
Founded 2007
Founder Han Sung-soo
Status Active
Genre K-pop
Country of origin South Korea
Location Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Official website www.pledis.co.kr

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, Orange Caramel, NU'EST, and Seventeen.[1] Its name originates from the pleiades, a star cluster in the constellation Taurus.[2] Its current vice-president is Kim Yeon-soo.[3]

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.[4] In its beginning stages, the agency did not have management premises, only a practice room.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7]

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.[8] Yoo Ara later left the company and joined Urbanworks Entertainment.

In December 2014, Jooyeon "graduated" from After School and signed with Better Ent as an actress in January 2015.[9][10] That month, Kahi also left the agency.[11]

On May 26, 2015, thirteen-member boy group Seventeen debuted under Pledis, after training under the company for several years.[12][13] In June 2015, Son Dam-bi left the agency after ten years.[14][15]

On June 26, 2016, the agency's upcoming third girl group (following After School and Hello Venus), tentatively named Pledis Girlz, released their pre-debut single titled "WE".[16] 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.[17]

Happy Pledis

All artists under Pledis Entertainment are collectively known as Happy Pledis, similar to SM Town, YG Family or JYP Nation.

Musicians

Groups

Soloists

  • Raina
  • Lizzy
  • Han Dong-geun (Donny Han)
  • Choi Hyo-In (Hyoin)

Former artists

Discography

Happy Pledis discography

References

  1. ↑ "Pledis Artist". www.pledis.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  2. ↑ ":: PLEDIS ::". www.pledis.co.kr. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  3. ↑ "[XP초점] 세븐틴, 컴백 비하인드…"안무 연습기간? 단 2주"". entertain.naver.com. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  4. ↑ "Son Dambi Proves She Is The Female Rain". jpopasia. 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2013-08-09.
  5. ↑ "Star News interviews Pledis CEO, Han Sung Soo". Allkpop.com. 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-05-13.
  6. ↑ "After School splits up into subgroups". Allkpop.com. 2010-05-31. Retrieved 2013-08-09.
  7. ↑ thunderstix (2012-04-17). "Pledis Entertainment to Debut Another Girl Group, Hello Venus". Soompi. Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  8. ↑ "헬로비너스, 유아라·윤조 탈퇴..4인조 재정비 "발전적 방향"". Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  9. ↑ ddangha (2015-01-01). "Jooyeon Opens up about Leaving After School, Spends New Year's with Members". Soompi. Retrieved 2016-07-29.
  10. ↑ "[단독] 애프터스쿨 탈퇴 주연, 송승헌·채정안 한솥밥 '배우 재도약'". Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  11. ↑ ck525 (2015-01-19). "Kahi Announces Decision to Leave Pledis Entertainment". Soompi. Retrieved 2016-07-29.
  12. ↑ "'애프터스쿨 남동생 그룹' 세븐틴, 29일 전격 데뷔..13인조 파워". Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  13. ↑ "Seventeen hopes to shine like diamonds with '17 Carat'". The Korea Herald. May 26, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  14. ↑ "손담비, 10년 정든 플레디스와 아름다운 이별…새 둥지 찾는다". Retrieved 2016-07-31.
  15. 1 2 "Son Dam-bi may join Bae Yong-joon's agency". The Korea Herald. June 3, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  16. ↑ "'플레디스 걸즈' 프리 싱글 'WE' 발표". Newsis. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "나영-결경 빠진 플레디스 걸즈, 프리 데뷔 싱글 'We' 뮤비 공개". 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  18. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff (December 31, 2014). "Juyeon Announces Graduation From After School". Billboard K-Town. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  19. ↑ "[단독] 애프터스쿨 리더 정아, 계약 만료…팀에서 졸업한다 – 열린세상 열린방송 MBN:". Star News (in Korean). January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.