KQ Entertainment
{{Short description|South Korean entertainment company}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = KQ Entertainment
| logo = KQ Entertainment logo.webp
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| trade_name =
| native_name = KQ엔터테인먼트
| native_name_lang = ko
| romanized_name =
| former_name = Seven Seasons Entertainment
| type = active
| traded_as =
| industry = Entertainment
| genre = {{hlist|K-pop|Hip hop|R&B}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|2016}}
| founder = Kim Kyu-wook
| hq_location = Mapo-gu
| hq_location_city = Seoul
| hq_location_country = South Korea
| key_people = Kim Kyu-wook (founder and CEO)
| brands =
| services =
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid = {{Ubl|Seven Seasons|KQ Produce}}
| website = {{URL|https://kqent.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
KQ Entertainment ({{Korean|KQ엔터테인먼트|}}), formerly known as Seven Seasons, is a South Korean entertainment company founded in 2016 by Kim Kyu-wook.{{Cite web|script-title=ko:블락비 소속 세븐시즌스→KQ엔터테인먼트 변경..공룡기획사 발돋움|url=https://www.starnewskorea.com/stview.php?no=2016062015431895181|website=Star News|language=ko|date=June 20, 2016|access-date=September 14, 2023}}
KQ Entertainment, is home to the K-pop groups Ateez and Xikers, and manages two labels: Seven Seasons, Block B's label, and KQ Produce, a label for singer-songwriters and producers.
History
After Block B left Stardom Entertainment in 2013, Kim Kyu-wook founded the label Seven Seasons specifically for the group, the name representing the seven members.
In June 2016 Seven Seasons changed their name to KQ Entertainment in order to branch out, develop and support a bigger variety of artists and improve their management through structural changes.{{cite web|title=블락비 소속사 세븐시즌스→KQ엔터테인먼트 사명 변경|url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=030&aid=0002491554|work=Naver|access-date=August 13, 2021}} Seven Seasons has operated since then as one of two subsidiaries along the label KQ Produce.{{cite web|title=KQ Ent.-About|url=https://kqent.com/about|work=kqent.com|access-date=August 13, 2021}}
The K-pop group Ateez debuted in October 2018 under the label KQ Entertainment.{{cite web|title=에이티즈, 오늘 데뷔...괴물 퍼포돌 출격 준비 끝|url=https://sports.donga.com/3/all/20181024/92558647/1|date=October 24, 2018|access-date=August 14, 2021}}
In September 2021, P.O's label, Seven Seasons, announced that he would not be renewing his contract with them at the end of the month.{{Cite web|script-title=ko:블락비 피오, 세븐시즌스와 전속계약 종료|trans-title=Block B P.O. Ends Exclusive Contract with Seven Seasons|url=https://news.nate.com/view/20210912n04591|via=Nate|publisher=Nocut News|language=ko|last=Kim|first=Soo-jung|date=September 12, 2021|access-date=October 28, 2024}}
The label has been focusing on international markets as a way to gain attention for their group Ateez.{{Cite web|title=Small K-pop labels rising|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2023/11/732_324265.html|website=The Korea Times|language=en|date=February 21, 2022|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
In January 2023, Block B members Jaehyo, B-Bomb and U-Kwon left KQ Entertainment after the expiration of their respective contracts.{{Cite web|title=Block B members Jaehyo, B-Bomb and U-Kwon to leave agency|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/01/04/entertainment/kpop/Korea-Kpop-Block-B/20230104110940998.html|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|language=en|date=January 4, 2023|access-date=September 14, 2023}}
On March 30, 2023, KQ Entertainment debuted a new boy group Xikers.{{Cite web|title=Boy band xikers to debut with EP 'House of Tricky: Doorbell Ringing'|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/03/06/entertainment/kpop/Korea-Kpop-xikers/20230306124612756.html|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|language=en|date=March 6, 2023|access-date=September 14, 2023}}
KQ Entrainment has created a new app for fans to receive information and content about their boy groups Ateez and Xikers.{{Cite web|title=Ateez and xikers' agency launches exclusive fandom app|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/07/18/entertainment/kpop/toktoq-ateez-xikers/20230718153517980.html|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|language=en|date=July 18, 2023|access-date=September 14, 2023}}
For one month from April 10 to June 10, 2024, KQ Entertainment held KQ ENT. (ATEEZ & xikers): A Grammy Museum Pop-Up in partnership with the Grammy Museum.{{Cite magazine|title=ATEEZ & xikers to Star in Grammy Museum's First K-Pop 'Pop-Up' Exhibition|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/kq-ent-ateez-xikers-grammy-museum-popup-exclusive-1235642109/|magazine=Billboard|language=en-US|last=Benjamin|first=Jeff|date=March 27, 2024|access-date=June 17, 2024}}{{Cite web|title=Ateez and xikers' outfits to feature at L.A. Grammy Museum's first-ever K-pop exhibition|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-03-28/entertainment/kpop/Ateez-and-xikers-outfits-to-feature-at-LA-Grammy-Museums-firstever-Kpop-exhibition/2013017|website=Korea JoongAng Daily|language=en|date=March 28, 2024|access-date=June 17, 2024}}
On January 20, 2025, KQ announced that they had signed an exclusive contract with Sohyang.{{cite web |title=소향, 에이티즈와 한솥밥 의외네…KQ엔터테인먼트와 전속계약 체결|website=Ten Asia |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/312/0000697296 |language=ko |access-date=January 20, 2025}}
Partnerships
- Sony Music{{Cite web|title=소니뮤직, 블락비 소속사 KQ엔터테인먼트와 손잡았다|url=https://www.spotvnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=177778|website=SPOTV NEWS|language=ko|last=NEWS|first=SPOTV|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=September 14, 2023}}
- CJ E&M
- My Music Taste
- RCA Records{{Cite magazine|title=K-Pop Group ATEEZ Signs With RCA Records: Exclusive|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ateez-signs-rca-records-8523607/|magazine=Billboard|last=Herman|first=Tamar|date=July 24, 2019|access-date=October 28, 2024}}
Artists
{{col-begin}}
{{col-4}}
=KQ Ent.=
=Seven Seasons=
{{col-4}}
=KQ Produce=
- Eden
- {{ill|Maddox (singer)|lt=Maddox|ko|마독스}}
{{col-end}}
Former Artists
References
{{Reflist}}
{{KQ Entertainment}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Companies based in Seoul
Category:Entertainment companies established in 2016
Category:Hip-hop record labels
Category:Labels distributed by Kakao M
Category:Record labels established in 2016
Category:South Korean companies established in 2016