Jellyfish Entertainment (
Korean: 젤리피쉬엔터테인먼트;
RR: jellipiswi enteoteinmeonteu), is a South Korean entertainment company established by composer and producer Hwang Se-jun in
Seoul,
South Korea.[1]
Jellyfish Entertainment was founded on August 17, 2007 in
Seoul by composer and producer Hwang Se-jun.[3] The first artist to sign under the company was the established ballad singer
Sung Si-kyung, who released the single "Parting Once Again" (
Korean: 한번 더 이별). One year later, the company signed Lisa and Park Hak-ki.
In November 2008, singer
Park Hyo-shin signed to the agency and was featured on the album Hwang Project Vol.1 Welcome To The Fantastic World. The following year, Super Star K contestant
Seo In-guk and Altair (
Lee Ji-hoon) later joined Jellyfish Entertainment.
In December 2010, Jellyfish Entertainment artists collaborated for the Jelly Christmas holiday album project with the lead single "Christmas Time".[4] In December 2011 Sung Si-kyung,
Brian Joo, Seo In-guk, Park Hak-ki, Park Jang-hyun and Hwang Project collaborated again for Jelly Christmas with the single "Christmas for All".[5]
2012–2015: VIXX and company acquisition
In April 2012, Jellyfish Entertainment revealed lineup trainees of their upcoming boy group and formed the boy group on MyDOL, a competition survival show that aired on
Mnet. The winners debuted as a member of
VIXX on May 24, 2012. In June, Lee Seok-hoon of
SG Wannabe released the digital single "The Beginning of Love" (Y.Bird from Jellyfish Island with Lee Seok Hoon) as part of Hwang Se-jun's Y.Bird from Jellyfish Island project. On September 12, Jellyfish Entertainment held their first live concert Jellyfish Live at Tokyo's Zepp Diver City in Japan,[6][7] and in December, both Park Hyo-shin and Sung Si-kyung held concert performances in Seoul. Jellyfish Entertainment's artists collaborated again for the Jelly Christmas 2012 Heart Project with the single “Because It's Christmas”[8][unreliable source?] with the proceeds from the project donated to
The Salvation Army Korea.[9][unreliable source?][10][unreliable source?]
2016–2018: Produce, Gugudan, and expansion into acting
In the first half of 2016, Jellyfish trainees Kim Na-young,
Kang Mi-na and
Kim Se-jeong represented Jellyfish Entertainment in the television survival show Produce 101. Kang Mi-na and Kim Se-jeong winning the survival show debuted as part of the lineup of the year-long project girl group
I.O.I, while still under Jellyfish Entertainment.[21][unreliable source?][22] It was confirmed that following their promotions as part of I.O.I, the trainees would officially debut as members of the agency's first girl group.[23][24][unreliable source?][25] On June 3, Jellyfish Entertainment launch their new music channel Jelly Box.[26]Jelly Box is similar to Jellyfish Entertainment's previous project Y.Bird from Jellyfish Island and it will showcase Jellyfish Entertainment artists and producers and include collaborations with artists outside of the label.[27][unreliable source?] On June 28, Jellyfish debuted the nine-member girl group
Gugudan.[28][unreliable source?][29] In August, Park Hyo-shin departed from the agency after eight years working together.[30][unreliable source?] In October, Jellyfish Entertainment announced that former
Dal Shabet member
Jiyul, signed a contract with the agency in order to pursue her career as an actress.[31][unreliable source?] In November, former
Jewelry member
Kim Ye-won, joined Jellyfish Entertainment as an actress.[32][unreliable source?] On December 13, Jellyfish Entertainment released their Jelly Christmas 2016 single album with the song, "Falling" (
Korean: 니가 내려와), as part of their digital music channel project Jelly Box. The Jellyfish artists participating were
Seo In-guk,
VIXX,
Gugudan,
Park Yoon-ha,
Park Jung-ah, Kim Gyu-sun,
Kim Ye-won and
Jiyul.[33][34][35][unreliable source?][36][unreliable source?][37]
In April 2017, agency trainee Yun Hee-seok represented Jellyfish Entertainment in the second season of the television survival show Produce 101.[38] On April 10, actress Cho Hye-jung joined Jellyfish Entertainment.[39][unreliable source?] In June, actress
Jung So-min joined Jellyfish Entertainment. In August, Jellyfish's 32% shares was acquired by CJ E&M, which previously acquired 19% of Jellyfish's shares in 2013 and effectively becoming Jellyfish Entertainment largest shareholder after having 51%.[40] The following month, Gugudan 5959 was formed as the sub-unit of Gugudan, composed of Hyeyeon and Mina. On August 16, indie soloist
Jang Hye-jin joined Jellyfish Entertainment.
2019–present: Verivery debut and Gugudan disbandment, Evnne debut
On January 9, 2019, Jellyfish debuted their second boy group
Verivery. On May 3, agency trainee Kim Min-kyu and Choi Jun-seong represented Jellyfish Entertainment in the fourth season of the television survival show Produce X 101.
On February 4, 2020, it was announced that
Lim Seul-ong signed under the label.[41] On March 6, it was revealed that as of June 6, 2019, CJ E&M had sold 40,396 shares of Jellyfish Entertainment for 1.9 billion won. The stake was acquired by Hwang Se-jun, the CEO of the company, increasing his stake from 51% to 73.53%.[42] From May to July, Gugudan member
Sally participated in the Chinese television survival show Produce Camp 2020. She placed sixth and made into the final group,
BonBon Girls 303. On December 30, Jellyfish Entertainment announced that Gugudan would end all group activities and officially disband on December 31, 2020.[43]
On March 31, 2021, Mimi, Soyee, and Nayoung announced that they would depart from Jellyfish after their contracts have ended.[44][45] On April 7, Haebin and Hyeyeon announced their departures from Jellyfish.[46] On April 30,
Hana announced her departure from Jellyfish.[47] On May 11,
Sejeong renewed her contract with Jellyfish Entertainment as a solo artist and actress.[48] On August 6, Jellyfish Entertainment trainees Kim Da-yeon and Sakamoto Shihona competing in the television survival show Girls Planet 999.[49] On October 22, Dayeon successfully placed 4th in the final lineup of the show's debut group,
Kep1er.[50][unreliable source?]
On December 30, 2022, Jellyfish Entertainment trainees Park Gunwook, Jang Yeojun, Park Hyunbeen and Han Yuseop were announced to be competing in the Mnet survival program, Boys Planet.[51] On April 20, 2023, Gunwook successfully placed 5th in the final lineup of the show's debut group,
Zerobaseone (ZB1).[52][unreliable source?]
On September 19, 2023, Jellyfish debuted their first project group & third overall boy group
Evnne.
2012:MyDOL - Reality show that documented the formation and debut process of Jellyfish Entertainment's first boy band,
VIXX.[59][unreliable source?][60]
^Yoon, Gi-baek (December 30, 2020).
"구구단, 4년 만에 해체 [공식]". Naver (in Korean). E-Daily.
Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
^"김세정, 현 소속사 '젤리피쉬'와 재계약" [Kim Se-jung re-signed with current agency 'Jellyfish']. Naver (in Korean). May 11, 2021.
Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.