In 2023, the global sales revenue of YG Entertainment amounted to around 569.2 billion South Korean won. YG Entertainment is one of the biggest South Korean entertainment companies and manages major acts such as AKMU, WINNER, and BLACKPINK. The company also houses businesses focusing on cosmetics, character goods, and advertising.
The history of YG Entertainment
Yang Hyun-suk, a former member of the popular first-generation K-pop group Seo Taiji and Boys, founded YG Entertainment in 1996. With the debut of successful, musical acts such as Jinusean and 1TYM, YG Entertainment managed to establish itself as an early success story during the beginnings of the modern K-pop industry. Having kept up the momentum, it is generally counted among the most established and industry-leading K-pop entertainment companies.
The ongoing success of YG Entertainment
The company first began dabbling in the idol industry with the debut of BIGBANG in 2006, which would go on to become one of the most successful K-pop acts and boy bands worldwide. While the group was inactive between March 2018 and April 2022, their music videos are still among the most popular music videos from YG Entertainment artists. Currently, the company’s most prestigious active artist is the girl group BLACKPINK, which quickly became one of the most successful K-pop acts domestically and internationally after their 2016 debut. BLACKPINK and their associated solo acts have collectively sold around eight percent of music albums released by female artists in South Korea in 2023. While the members have since left the company to pursue their solo careers elsewhere, group promotions are still managed by YG.
