Cube Entertainment, Inc. (, stylised as CUBE Entertainment) is a South Korean entertainment company. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house. Cube are known for having "self-composing and self-producing" idols. In April 2020, the founder of Cube, Hong Seung-sung, resigned from the company due to an ownership dispute.
The label currently manages several artists, namely Pentagon, I-dle, Lightsum, and Nowz. It also manages several entertainers and actors, including Heo Kyung-hwan, Park Mi-sun, Kim Jin-woo, and Park Sun-young.
It was formerly home to K-pop artists such as Apink, Huh Gak, Rain, G.NA, 4Minute, Beast, Hyuna, CLC, and BtoB.
History 2006–2010: Formation and first-generation artists Cube Entertainment was founded on August 29, 2006, by Hong Seung-sung (aka Simon Hong), former president of JYP Entertainment, and Shin Jung-hwa (Monica Shin) as Playcube Inc. Due to the founder's past relations, Cube is sometimes mistaken as a subsidiary of JYP Entertainment; however, it is an independent corporation.
In 2009, Cube's first two groups debuted, with girl group 4Minute debuting in June and boy group Beast in October.
In 2010, G.NA became the first solo artist in Cube to debut.
2011–2014: Second-generation artists and changing of CEO
In 2011, independent label A Cube Entertainment was founded, managing girl group Apink, who debuted in April of the same year.
In 2012, sub-label Cube DC was launched, managing boy group BtoB, who debuted in March. Comedian Kim Kiri, a regular cast member on Gag Concert, signed onto Cube in September 2012, making him the first comedian under the label. During late 2012, Park Chung-min became the CEO of Cube, after founder Hong Seung-sung stepped down due to his sickness.
In 2013, Korean entertainer Rain signed a contract with Cube Entertainment. He officially joined after he concluded his military service on July 10, 2013. Three months later Cube released a digital single for its new soloist artist, Shin Ji-hoon who placed in the top 6 in Korean singing competition K-pop Star 2. Another new soloist, Oh Ye-ri released her debut digital single, "Because of You" on November 6, 2013. She was the winner of MBC's MBC College Song Festival in 2009.
In August 2014, sub-label Cube DC merged with Cube.
2015–2017: Third-generation artists and changing of CEO
Cube's second girl group CLC debuted in March 2015. At the end of 2015, A Cube Entertainment, which manages Huh Gak and Apink, was acquired by its distributor, LOEN Entertainment. LOEN bought 70% shares in A Cube, therefore making it the sole owner of the agency. A Cube became a separate and distinct label under LOEN Entertainment with the new name Plan A Entertainment.
In February 2016, Cube headquarter located at Cheongdam-dong moved to Seongdong District near Seongdong station. In March 2016, Cube acquired Starline Entertainment as subsidiary. In June 2016, Cube's first girl group 4Minute disbanded. In July 2016, Cube Cafe was reopened in the new building called Cafe 20 Space: The Mint Universe. At the end of 2016, Shin Dae-nam was elected to be the new CEO of Cube Entertainment, replacing former CEO Park Chung-min. He was a former editor of the journal Ilgan Sports and president of Yedang Media. New boy group Pentagon debuted in October 2016. This was followed by Cube's third boy group after Beast leaving Cube in December 2016.
At the beginning of 2017, Universal Music sold their 8% stake in Cube.Universal Music sells 8.0 pct stake in Cube Entertainment 2017-2-16 Following this, Cube Entertainment signed a distribution deal with Kakao M (formerly LOEN) for future music & content circulation.큐브엔터 로엔엔터테인먼트와 유통 계약 체결 (공식입장) 2017-2-27 In March, Cube Entertainment reportedly facing a massive deficit after serious operating losses in 2016, the departure of flagship group BEAST, who reportedly made up 45 percent of their total sales and THAAD. In mid-2017, Cube's two male trainees Yoo Seon-ho and Lai Kuan-lin participated in Mnet's Produce 101 Season 2. The latter was chosen to be part of the final lineup for project boygroup Wanna One after finishing in 7th place, while Yoo Seon-ho finished in 17th place. Lai Kuan-lin debuted in Wanna One in August 2017, and promoted with the group until December 2018. Meanwhile, Jeon So-yeon, who participated in the first season of Produce 101 and Unpretty Rapstar debuted as a soloist in November 2017 with her song "Jelly". Jo Kwon of ballad group 2AM signed as a solo artist under the label in the same month, after staying for 16 years in JYP Entertainment. On November 14, Cube Entertainment released their third quarter earnings, with revenue growth of 15 percent from the second quarter 22 percent, largely due to the success of BtoB, HyunA and the growth of Pentagon and Yoo Seon-ho, video contents and other additional businesses. The same month, D’Live Co., the third-largest cable TV service provider that is seeking to sell its stakes in entertainment units iHQ Inc and Cube Entertainment Inc. Currently, D'Live owns a 45 percent stake in iHQ and a 30 percent in Cube Entertainment.D'Live selling iHQ 2017-11-24金宇彬所属经纪公司IHQ将再次进行出售 2017-11-24iHQ Cube selling separately? 2017-12-19
2018–present: Fourth-generation artists, business expansion, U CUBE and changing of CEO
TV personality Lee Hwi-jae signed a contract with Cube on March 5, 2018. In a report released in April 2018, Cube said that it had successfully made profit in 2017, a welcome improvement after incurring severe losses in 2016. In April 2018, Yoo Seon-ho debuted as a soloist. On May 2, Cube debuted (G)I-dle, it is their third girl group after 4Minute and CLC. On May 4, Cube Entertainment announced the United Cube Concert – One concert, featuring their own artists. The concert took place at KINTEX in Ilsan on June 16 and was sold out in two minutes. On August 2, 2018, photos of Hyuna with Pentagon's E'Dawn at their birthday party on June 4 were released. Cube Entertainment initially denied rumors the two were dating, however Hyuna and E’Dawn held an interview with Yeonhap News later that day, admitting to their relationship which began in May 2016. The company responded to Hyuna's confirmation of the dating rumors by cancelling all previously planned performances for Triple H, on-air appearances, and fan events, including a fan meet-up scheduled for the next day. Fans were divided in reactions to the event, with some calling for E'Dawn to be removed from Pentagon, and others focusing on how the company treated them unfairly after releasing the scandal, rather than on their relationship. On September 13, Cube Entertainment announced that they would be terminating their contracts, citing that they could not "maintain trust" as a reason saying "After much deliberation, we've concluded that the trust between the company and the artists had been damaged to a degree that it cannot be restored, leading us to believe expulsion is necessary," in its official statement. However, Cube declared that the situation is still being considered and nothing has been decided yet for them, saying that the issue will be discussed on a board meeting. A senior official said, “The dismissal of Hyuna and E'Dawn was in discussion but not final. We will have to collect opinions a little more. As the artists' opinions are also important, this is a matter that should be decided carefully through collecting opinions. The departure is not final. Agency officials are having an urgent discussion. As much as possible, we will make decisions based on artists' opinions." On October 15, Cube Entertainment officially confirmed Hyuna's departure, announcing that the record label has reached an agreement with Hyuna to terminate her contract. On October 25, Cube signed a contract with Haohao Wenhua Media Company (Hot Idol, Haohao Bangyang Agency) () for activities in China. On November 5, Cube debuted a non-idol ballad group, A Train To Autumn (), with digital single "That Season You Were In". Kino of Pentagon participated as one of the lyricists. On November 14, Cube Entertainment officially confirmed E'Dawn's departure. On November 23, Cube established a new label, U-Cube, with Universal Music Japan for activities in Japan. It was reported that Cube's sales in 2018 increased 46.7% year-on-year to ₩35.8 billion. During the same period, operating profit jumped 809.3% to ₩1.9 billion and net profit turned to profit of ₩1 billion due to the success of BtoB's album sales and concerts, Pentagon's "Shine", (G)I-dle's debut and Lai Guan-lin's activities. Cube's music sales also increased by 58% to ₩8.8 billion due to the popularity of (G)I-dle's "Latata" and "Hann (一)".
In early 2019, Cube Entertainment chose NetEase Music as its strategic partner as a platform to promote in China. On January 23, D’Live Co. sought to sell its stakes in entertainment units iHQ Inc. and Cube Entertainment Inc. Currently, D’Live owns a 45 percent stake in iHQ and a 30 percent stake in Cube Entertainment.D’Live to sell entertainment units iHQ, Cube Entertainment 2019-1-23 On August 19, Gagman Lee Sang-joon has signed an exclusive contract with Cube. Two days later, it was announced that Produce 48 participant, Han Cho-won and The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project, Lee Joo-hyun were the next to sign. In September, it was reported that Cube Entertainment partnership with e2PR, Strategic Communications for establishing new promotion team for handling (G)I-dle's public international relations. In the fourth quarter of 2019, Cube recorded 22.6 billion won and 40.3 million won in operating profit due to (G)I-dle's "Lion" and Pentagon's Prism World Tour. Overall, Cube's sales in 2019 down 13.9%, operating profit down 51.1% and net profit down 35.8% compared to previous years.