The Black Label
The Black Label is a South Korean record label and YG Entertainment associate company founded by producers Teddy Park and Kush.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Black Label is a South Korean record label and entertainment company associated with YG Entertainment. It was established in 2015 as an independent sub-label led by YG Entertainment producers Teddy Park and Kush. The label was created to provide a separate platform for producer-led artist development and music releases while remaining connected to YG’s broader entertainment network. The company’s early roster included artists associated with Korea’s hip-hop and R&B scenes. Zion.T became one of its first prominent signings in 2016, followed by Okasian in 2017. The label expanded beyond its initial producer and hip-hop identity when Jeon Somi signed in 2018 and began her solo career under The Black Label in 2019. Her debut helped establish the company as a home for mainstream pop artists as well as producer-driven projects. The Black Label’s corporate relationship with YG changed in 2020. According to YG Entertainment’s quarterly reporting, the label was converted from an independent sub-label structure into an associate company. This gave The Black Label a more distinct corporate position while preserving its connection to YG Entertainment and related distribution infrastructure. The company has subsequently operated across artist management, recorded music, production, acting and modeling representation, and selected partnerships. The roster has included recording artists such as Jeon Somi, Taeyang, Rosé, Vince, Zion.T and Meovv, as well as producers including Teddy, VVN, IDO and Dominsuk. The label has also represented actors and models, including Park Bo-gum, Im Si-wan, Kwak Dong-yeon, Lee Jong-won and Ella Gross. Its activity therefore extends beyond a conventional record label into broader talent management and entertainment production. The company continued to broaden its scope in the 2020s. Taeyang joined in 2022 while remaining a member of Big Bang, and Park Bo-gum signed a management agreement in 2023. In the same year, The Black Label formed a joint venture with Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group under the name The Black Sea, intended to support expansion into Southeast Asia. The label also participated in co-production activity involving the group Izna in partnership with WakeOne. The Black Label launched its first girl group, Meovv, in 2024. The group was announced in August and debuted in September, marking a significant move into multi-member idol-group management. In the same year, Rosé of Blackpink signed a management contract with The Black Label for her solo activities, while the company announced the end of its exclusive contract with Zion.T. Distribution arrangements have varied by artist and project, involving companies such as YG Plus, Interscope Records, 88rising, Capitol Records and Atlantic Records. The brand’s positioning combines producer-centered creative control, artist management and international distribution. Its association with Teddy Park and YG Entertainment gives it access to established Korean pop infrastructure, while partnerships and international distribution deals support activity outside South Korea. The label’s exact current corporate ownership and operating details are not fully specified in the supplied reference material.
History
The Black Label was established in 2015 by YG Entertainment producer Teddy Park and producer Kush. YG Entertainment announced the new operation on September 22, 2015, presenting it as an independent sub-label with its own producer-led identity. The structure allowed the company to develop artists and music projects separately from YG Entertainment’s principal label while remaining within the wider YG ecosystem. The Black Label began building its roster in the Korean hip-hop and R&B space. Zion.T signed with the label in March 2016, becoming an early high-profile addition. Okasian signed an exclusive contract in May 2017. The company then expanded into mainstream pop when Jeon Somi joined in September 2018. She made her solo debut under The Black Label on June 13, 2019, giving the relatively young label a prominent pop-facing artist and a visible commercial release platform. The label’s corporate relationship with YG Entertainment changed in 2020. YG Entertainment’s quarterly stock report stated that The Black Label had been converted into an associate company. This marked a shift from its earlier description as an independent sub-label and reflected a more separate corporate status, although The Black Label continued to be associated with YG Entertainment. In December 2022, the company announced that Taeyang had joined its roster. His move concerned his solo activities, while he remained a member of Big Bang. The addition connected The Black Label with one of Korean pop’s established major acts. In January 2023, actor Park Bo-gum signed with the company, reinforcing its expansion into acting management and broader talent representation. The company pursued regional expansion in April 2023 by forming a joint venture with Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group, one of the country’s largest conglomerates. The venture, called The Black Sea, was intended to expand the label’s operations into Southeast Asia. This initiative complemented The Black Label’s use of international distribution relationships for selected artists and releases. The Black Label further widened its artist-management activities in 2024. On June 18, it announced a management contract with Rosé of Blackpink for her solo endeavors. On July 1, the company announced the end of its exclusive contract with Zion.T. On August 16, The Black Label announced Meovv, its first girl group. Meovv debuted on September 6, 2024, establishing a new group-based pillar for the company alongside its soloist, producer and actor rosters. The label’s publicly listed or referenced talent has included recording artists Jeon Somi, Taeyang, Rosé and Vince; producers Teddy, VVN, IDO and Dominsuk; actors and models such as Ella Gross, Im Si-wan, Kwak Dong-yeon, Lee Jong-won and Park Bo-gum; and, in the supplied reference material, athlete Lee Kang-in. Former or departed associates include Zion.T, Loren, Bryan Chase, R.Tee and Lee Ju-myoung. Distribution has differed by artist and project, with YG Plus identified as the overall distributor from 2020 and additional arrangements involving Interscope Records, 88rising, Capitol Records and Atlantic Records. The supplied reference material also reports a 2026 announcement concerning an exclusive contract with footballer Lee Kang-in. Because this date is later than many currently available historical accounts, the item is retained as a reported milestone but should be independently checked against a current company or reputable news source. Overall, The Black Label has developed from a YG-associated producer sub-label into a broader entertainment company covering music releases, production, artist management, acting and modeling representation, group development and international partnerships.
- 2026
Reported signing of Lee Kang-in
[1]The supplied reference material reports that The Black Label announced an exclusive contract with footballer Lee Kang-in. The date and announcement should be independently verified.
- 2024
Rosé signed a solo management contract
[1]The Black Label announced a management agreement with Rosé for her solo activities.
- 2024
Meovv was announced and debuted
[1]The company announced its first girl group in August; Meovv debuted on September 6.
- 2023
Park Bo-gum joined the management roster
[1]Actor Park Bo-gum signed with The Black Label.
- 2023
The Black Sea joint venture was formed
[1]The Black Label and Charoen Pokphand Group established a joint venture aimed at Southeast Asian expansion.
- 2022
Taeyang joined the label
[1]Taeyang joined The Black Label for solo activities while remaining a Big Bang member.
- 2020
The company became a YG associate company
[1]YG Entertainment reporting described The Black Label as having been converted to associate-company status.
- 2019
Jeon Somi made her solo debut
[1]Jeon Somi debuted as a solo artist under The Black Label on June 13.
- 2018
Jeon Somi signed with The Black Label
[1]Jeon Somi joined the label, beginning the company’s development of her solo career.
- 2017
Okasian signed an exclusive contract
[1]Rapper Okasian joined the label under an exclusive agreement.
Products and positioning
A producer-led Korean entertainment label combining recorded music, artist management, talent representation and international partnerships.
Music releases · 2015
Recorded music
The Black Label develops and releases singles, albums and other recorded-music projects for its artists. Its catalog has included Korean pop, hip-hop, R&B and solo projects, with distribution handled through different domestic and international partners depending on the artist and release.
Solo artist management · 2019
Jeon Somi solo projects
Jeon Somi’s signing and 2019 solo debut represented The Black Label’s expansion from a producer-centered sub-label into a company capable of developing mainstream pop soloists.
Girl group · 2024
Meovv
Meovv is The Black Label’s first announced girl group. The group was introduced in August 2024 and debuted on September 6, 2024, adding idol-group development to the company’s established soloist and producer activities.
Entertainment management · 2015
Talent management
The company manages or has managed musicians, producers, actors, models and other public figures. Its referenced roster includes artists such as Taeyang and Rosé, actors including Park Bo-gum, and models such as Ella Gross.
Brand decisions
2024
Launch of MeovvProduct launchBackground
The Black Label had primarily been identified with solo artists, producers and actor management before announcing its first girl group.
Action taken
The company announced Meovv in August 2024 and debuted the group on September 6.
Aftermath
The debut established group-based idol development as an additional part of The Black Label’s business.
2023
Formation of The Black Sea joint ventureM&ABackground
The Black Label sought to extend its entertainment business beyond South Korea and develop a presence in Southeast Asia.
Action taken
The company formed The Black Sea with Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group.
Aftermath
The venture was intended to support regional expansion, although the supplied material does not provide financial results or detailed operating outcomes.
2020
Conversion to associate-company statusStrategyBackground
The Black Label had originally been presented as an independent sub-label associated with YG Entertainment. YG Entertainment’s quarterly reporting later described a change in the company’s status.
Action taken
The label was converted into an associate company of YG Entertainment.
Aftermath
The change gave The Black Label a more distinct corporate position while retaining its connection to YG Entertainment’s broader network.
Sources1 sources
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