yG

YG Entertainment is a South‑Korean entertainment company headquartered in Seoul. The company was founded in 1996 by Yang Hyun‑soon, a former executive at Pan Entertainment, with the original name “Double Vision.” It was rebranded as YG Entertainment in 2000 after a partnership with Atlantic Records. YG has positioned itself as a “creative enterprise” that emphasizes individual artistic vision, and it has become one of Korea’s leading “Big Three” entertainment agencies, alongside SM and JYP.

The company has produced and signed a number of high‑profile artists. Early successes included the boy band NCT and the hip‑hop duo g.o.d, but it rose to greater prominence through groups such as BIGBANG, 2NE1, and later K‑pop acts like BLACKPINK and IDOL. YG also manages solo artists, including Park Hyo‑young, Taemin, and singer-rapper Dreamcatcher, among others. The label has diversified into various ventures, including a music production division, a music publishing arm, and a music video production company. It also operates its own festivals, such as the annual YG Winter Festival, showcasing both newly debuted and veteran artists.

YG has faced several controversies. In 2012, the company was sued for allegations of intellectual property theft, and in 2018 a bankruptcy ruling was overturned after YG revised its strategy. More recent controversies, such as the "Pipeline" incident in 2020, involving a song released under a pseudonym that misrepresented the label's origin, raised questions about artist management practices. Despite these challenges, YG Entertainment remains influential in shaping contemporary K‑pop culture and continues to expand into international markets.