Kakao Entertainment and CJ ENM are joining forces to build a global K-band designed to define the moment.
The companies have inked a partnership to co-launch a global band-making project through Mnet’s competition series ‘Steal Heart Club,’ they announced Tuesday.
Under the pact, Kakao Entertainment will oversee distribution for songs performed on the show and handle album planning, production and management for the final lineup. CJ ENM will lead the show’s planning and production, capturing the contestants’ survival journey up close. By pairing Kakao Entertainment’s music-and-artist IP expertise with CJ ENM’s production muscle, the partners aim to unveil a next-gen, scene-defining band that can carry the K-band boom worldwide.
Premiering Oct. 21 at 10 p.m. KST on Mnet, ‘Steal Heart Club’ brings together individual hopefuls across guitar, drums, bass, vocals and keyboards for a high-stakes fight to become the “final headliner band,” fueled by their music, emotions and blazing youth. Actress Moon Ga-young will host, with directors Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Jang-won, Sunwoo Jung-ah and Ha Sung-woon on board to shape the new act from a range of genre perspectives.
Beyond distributing every track unveiled on the program, Kakao Entertainment will guide the winning band through album planning and production, marketing and full-scale management. Leveraging its expansive global K-pop distribution network and multi-label system―proven across idols, singer-songwriters and bands―the company plans to bring contestants’ raw passion and energy to platforms worldwide so fans can follow and cheer on the rise of a new band rookie. Once the final lineup is set, Kakao will power releases, concerts and more to help the act grow into a global force.
CJ ENM, drawing on its standout content-making chops, is steering overall planning and production. Mnet has long set trends in the K-pop arena with hit audition franchises like ‘Superstar K,’ ‘Show Me the Money,’ ‘Boys Planet’ and ‘I-LAND.’ With ‘Steal Heart Club,’ the network expands into the band space and introduces an interactive survival format where global fans help shape the final lineup―part of CJ ENM’s push to diversify K-pop genres and broaden the global band market.
“‘Steal Heart Club’ blends CJ ENM’s unmatched K-content creativity with Kakao Entertainment’s deep music IP know-how to create real synergy that will energize the global K-band scene,” Kakao Entertainment said, adding, “We’re excited to usher in a rookie K-band that will win over music fans around the world.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)