Agency

Starship Entertainment Co., Ltd.

스타쉽엔터테인먼트 / Starship

Starship Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment agency and record label founded on March 4, 2008 by Kim Shi-dae, with co-founders Seo Hyun-joo and Kim Young-suk. Since December 2013 it has operated as a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment (formerly LOEN Entertainment / Kakao M), which holds a majority stake of 66.16% as of 2025. Its roster history spans SISTAR, Boyfriend, MONSTA X, WJSN, CRAVITY, IVE, KiiiKiii and IDID, plus soloists such as K.Will. In 2026 it launched AEN, a Korean-Japanese boy group co-produced with Japan's Amuse.

  • Agency
  • Record Label
  • Production Company

Overview

Starship Entertainment is a South Korean entertainment company founded on March 4, 2008 by Kim Shi-dae. Home to SISTAR, MONSTA X, WJSN, CRAVITY, IVE, KiiiKiii and IDID, it has grown into one of K-pop’s most consistent hit-making agencies and operates as a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment, which holds a majority stake.

In 2026 the company expanded into the Korea-Japan market with AEN, a seven-member boy group produced jointly with Japanese entertainment giant Amuse and scheduled to debut on August 5, 2026.

Timeline

Company founded Starship Entertainment is founded in Seoul by Kim Shi-dae with co-founders Seo Hyun-joo and Kim Young-suk.
March 4, 2008
SISTAR debuts Girl group SISTAR debuts and becomes the agency's first major hit act (active 2010-2017).
June 3, 2010
LOEN Entertainment acquires 70% of Starship Distributor LOEN Entertainment (later Kakao M, now Kakao Entertainment) acquires 70% of the label's shares, making Starship an independently operated subsidiary.
December 18, 2013
MONSTA X debuts Boy group MONSTA X debuts, formed through the survival show No.Mercy, and becomes a long-running global act for the agency.
May 14, 2015
IVE debuts Girl group IVE debuts with the single album Eleven and quickly becomes one of the leading fourth-generation girl groups.
December 1, 2021
AEN announced with Amuse Starship and Japanese entertainment company Amuse announce AEN, a seven-member Korean-Japanese boy group, scheduled to debut on August 5, 2026 with the EP A NEW ERA OF NOW.
June 1, 2026

Facts

Kakao Entertainment is Starship's majority owner with a 66.16% stake as of 2025; co-founder Seo Hyun-joo retains 18.96%. The stake dates back to December 18, 2013, when distributor LOEN Entertainment (Kakao Entertainment's predecessor) acquired 70% of the label.
July 8, 2026
Starship operates several subsidiary labels, including King Kong by Starship (actor management, launched 2015) and Highline Entertainment (2017, home of Wonho).
July 8, 2026
AEN, announced in 2026, is Starship's first Korea-Japan joint group: Starship produces and handles Korean operations while Japan's Amuse manages the Japanese side, with activities planned in both countries.
July 8, 2026
The agency has launched groups through survival and audition formats, including No.Mercy (MONSTA X, 2015) and the 2025 YouTube trainee project Debut's Plan, which produced IDID and most of AEN's lineup.
July 8, 2026