MBK Entertainment

MBK Entertainment (Korean: MBK 엔터테인먼트) was a South Korean entertainment company established by Kim Kwang-soo. MBK Entertainment is known for managing multiple successful K-pop artists, such as T-ara, DIA, Davichi, SeeYa, F-ve Dolls, Shannon, Coed School, and SPEED. The company was originally founded in 1999 as GM Planning. The company was absorbed by Mnet Media in 2006, following Kim Kwang-soo joint with CJ Group as their director. In 2007, the company re-launch as Core Contents Media under Mnet Media. In September 2009, Kim Kwang-soo was removed from the list as director of Mnet Media and then effectively his own company ended business with Mnet Media. On October 1, 2014, Core Contents Media had been acquired by MBK Co., Ltd. (formerly CS ELSOLAR Co., Ltd.) and renamed as MBK Entertainment (abbreviation for "Music Beyond Korea"). In December 2016, MBK Entertainment parent company MBK suspended their entertainment business. In May 2018, Kim Kwang-soo and its subsidiary label The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project Culture Industry Company (then-known as PocketDol Studio) were revealed to have a secret partnership with PD Han Kyeong-cheon to produce survival program The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project. He also confirmed that he would be focused as producer for winning group UNB and UNI.T. In October 2018, MBK and MBC launched a talent show titled Under Nineteen, a contest for male trainees under the age of 19 years old to compete for a spot to be in a new K-pop idol group 1the9. The final winners would sign a 12-month contract under MBK (then PocketDol Studio) after a 5-month contract with MBC. In April 2020, two contestants representing MBK in Produce X 101, Hangyul and Dohyon debuted as duo H&D under PocketDol Studio. In May 2020, DIA were transferred to sub-label PocketDol Studio ahead of their June comeback. As of 2022,...