Brand New Stardom Entertainment
The company was originally founded by Cho PD in 1998 who initially aimed to distribute his own album after his debut as a rapper at that year. Then, the name was changed to Future Flow after he released his third album, and the label then found or formed new artists and debuted them, the artists were like Ra. D and Doc2. Future Flow was then closed due to several label disputes but was later included in the Brand New Stardom Entertainment merger. Then, Brand New Music artist joined Brand New Stardom Entertainment. This agency or label is a combination of 2 rappers, each of which has a label named Future Flow and Brand New Production and the rapper who works with this agency is Rhymer. Then Both of them have their own music label or it can be said Brand New Stardom Entertainment is divided into two label or named, that is Stardom Entertainment and the founder is Cho PD and Brand New Music by Rhymer. After the split of Brand New Stardom Entertainment in 2011, the newly founded Stardom Entertainment sued Brand New Music Entertainment and saying that Oh Yoo-mi of Miss $ still contracted with Stardom Entertainment. But, according to Brand New Music Entertainment, the two companies previously agreed that they never limit the movement of Oh Yoo-mi of Miss $. On April 15, 2011, Stardom Entertainment debuted boy group included Rapper Zico with named Block B. The label CEO’s name is Mr. Lee, but he was getting suicide. The artists on this label are Block B, Miss $, and EvoL. The headquarters of this label is at Doksan-dong, Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea. This label has a website, look and search at brandnewstardom.com
Scandal and Controversy
Block B Filed Lawsuit
In 2013, Block B filed a lawsuit to his own agency that is Stardom Entertainment. At first, Block B member had filed a lawsuit at the Seoul District Court Center. They are demanding their income which has not been given for a year or arguably has not been paid. Member of Block B stated in the contract it was said that they would be paid on 25th each month, but the agency failed to carry out its obligations since April 2011. This began in March when one of member’s contract had expired and waited for the salary, but it didn’t come. Even according to Block B members, their agency was unable to pay for the result of their performance and also for Ghost and Golden Time OST, as well as their various income from their fan club sites in Japan, etc. In addition, Block B also pointed out that their CEO named Mr. Lee had escaped money 70 KWR or 66 thousand USD, which is the money from their parents to fund group production and promotion activities. He never listens to their opinions about their activities and directs only based on his opinions. Then the agency said about their payment, that their agency had calculated all of Block B’s income and already paid them. Stardom Entertainment wants to explain that they changed the payment schedule to every three months instead of every 25th each month. Regarding Mr. Lee, they said that was true but they were late in notifying the injured party. Then, regarding the issue of the rare appearance of Block B, it happened because when they made a comeback in February 2012 but in the midst of the promotion there was an incident regarding Thai interview, and makes Block B name trainshed. Block B finally lost in court, so they refused to cooperate again with Stardom Entertainment. However, after two months of negotiating with Block B, they finally decided to keep on holding Block B in the future.
CEO Founded Dead!
On May 20, 2013 ex-CEO Block B Mr. Lee found was dead because committed suicide. He was found by his friend in his basement. Many assumed that the decision to commit suicide is related to the problem that the Block B group sued him at the beginning of the year because they were not paid. However, there is one source said that the cause of Mr. Lee death has nothing related to that case but because of personal problems. Stardom Entertainment also said that Mr. Lee has left the agency two years ago before, and they don’t know anything about the reasons why he died.
WINNER’s Mino Dissing Stardom Entertainment on Show Me the Money 4
Mino’s appearance in Show Me The Money 4 or in the rapper competition has become a byword among netizens, because of his extraordinary rap abilities and lyrics. Even before he started performing in the second round, Mino had become a jury contention. Before the show, Jay Park was so interested and persuaded that Mino would be in his team. But, Mino wants in Block B’s Zico and Palatto team. In his rap lyrics, Mino briefly offended his ex-agency Stardom Entertainment, precisely before he entered in YG Entertainment. The lyrics that he offends the former agency reads “But one thing pisses me off, journalists compare me with unknown rapper, Topp Dogg, EvoL, Kidoh, Candle, Yano, Shiho. It makes some hot. PD-hyung and Rhymer-hyung let me go, and now they suffer.”
Suddenly, Mino’s appearance received a lively welcome from the jury and other participants. They said that Mino brought good lyrics and had charisma as a rapper. And netizens suspect that Cho PD replied to Mino’s innuendo in his tweet. Cho PD expressed his opinion on the SMTM program by writing tweer “SMTM is so cliche, and old school is tacky.”
Founder of Stardom Entertainment, Cho PD, Found Guilty for Fraud
Cho PD is the founder of Stardom Entertainment. On November 23, 2016, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced him for a 2-year suspended sentenced and Cho PD’s trial for fraud. He will be sentenced 2 years for forced labor if he violates his probation. this is started in July 2015, Cho PD sign the contract to transfer the assets and agencies, Stardom Entertainment, to a company identified as A Cho PD, and also agreed to work for ‘A’ company for 5 years and demanded that he be compensated for a total of 12 billion KRW (11 million USD), which is amount that he claims has been used in investment for the artists. Cho PD also claims that he failed to receive benefits from artists under Stardom Entertainment. However, ‘A’ company found out that Cho PD didn’t tell them about the 270 million KRW (238, 000 USD) profits he got from his Japanese concert artist in May 2014, when he was sued for fraud.
Acquired by Hunus Entertainment
Hunus Entertainment is a Korean hip-hop record label company. It was created in September 2009 when Rhymer’s Brand New Production merged with Cho PD. In September 2011, Rhymer moved to New Music Entertainment, and Cho PD become the company’s CEO. In 2012, they changed their name from Brand New Stardom to Stardom Entertainment or STARDOM. In July 2015, Hunus Entertainment acquired the company. This happened because Cho PD had a fraud case and was given a suspended sentenced for 2 years in prison.
