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gamma., Kakao Entertainment, & SM Entertainment Announce Strategic Global Alliance For The Launch of British Boy Band dearALICE

Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | November 26, 2024

gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment today announced the formation of a strategic global alliance for the launch of British boy band dearALICE. This partnership will support the arrival of dearALICE’s debut and lay the groundwork for their global takeover, giving full backing to their ambitious journey to stardom.

gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment’s alliance encompasses global distribution networks across the US, UK, and Korea/APAC, with global label services ranging across A&R, production, marketing, promotion, brand sponsorships, and global business development, paving the way for a transformative impact on the industry worldwide.

dearALICE is the first of its kind — a boy band formed via a TV show format by two leaders of Korean entertainment, Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment, and award-winning British producers and music entertainment specialists Moon&Back Media, the masterminds behind Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor, who introduced global superstars One Direction to the world. The original six-part series Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience aired on BBC One as part of its prestigious Saturday night schedule with international distribution of the series handled by ITV Studios and offered viewers an exclusive glimpse into the world-renowned K-Pop training process. The show followed five hand-selected UK boy band members as they embarked on a 100-day journey gaining first hand experience training at SM Entertainment, a program that usually spans across years for K-Pop artists. This ground breaking, multicultural format produced an original soundtrack featuring dearALICE, which debuted at No. 1 on the UK 50 Soundtrack Albums chart.

Larry Jackson (Co-Founder & CEO, gamma.), Joseph Chang (co-CEO, Kakao Entertainment; CEO, SM & Kakao Entertainment), Jung Min Choi (CGO, SM Entertainment), Kevin Nishimura (COO, SM & Kakao Entertainment), Ben Cook (President UK & Europe, gamma.) and Russ Lindsay (Co-Founder, Moon&Back Media) came together in Los Angeles to finalize and celebrate the agreement. dearALICE members Blaise Noon, Dexter Greenwood, James Sharp, Oliver (Olly) Quinn, and Reese Carter were on hand for the symbolic kickoff of the ambitious journey to establish the group as an international powerhouse.

Larry Jackson, Co-Founder & CEO of gamma. states, “I have found that it is a superpower in life to embrace the truth of ‘I know what I don’t know.’ I have always been intrigued by the music and culture coming out of South Korea, and to now partner with Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment on dearALICE affords gamma. an opportunity to learn from THE BEST in that culture. We are already finding a special creative kinship with Joseph, Kevin and their teams. Our ideations are very much aligned albeit informed by different life experiences, from disparate corners of the globe. The cleverness of creating this show, it premiering on the BBC in the U.K., and bringing this extremely talented group to the world by way of it, was their idea, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Kakao Entertainment and SM have always been purveyors of true, patient artist development in Korea, and I have deeply respected their approach from afar. Expect to hear a lot from dearALICE in 2025.”

gamma., the artist-first multimedia platform providing creative and business services across all artistic and commercial formats launched in 2023, co-founded by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef. It is a modern media and technology enterprise created to revolutionise the way artist-entrepreneurs create, distribute, and monetise their content and brands across a multitude of consumer touchpoints. To date gamma. has partnered with global superstars including USHER, Snoop Dogg & Death Row Records, Rick Ross, Sexyy Red among others.

Joseph Chang, co-CEO of Kakao Entertainment and CEO of SM & Kakao Entertainment, shared, “Our partnership with gamma. represents an exciting step in our ongoing strategy for the successful launch of dearALICE. Collaborating with a label of gamma.’s stature, known for its deep industry expertise and innovative approach, allows us to accelerate our efforts in bringing forward dearALICE to audiences worldwide. dearALICE stands out as a truly distinctive project for our company, blending British roots with the global reach and creative influences of Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment. We believe this collaboration will unlock new opportunities for the group to thrive internationally, while also showcasing their ground breaking artistry to music fans across the globe.”

Russ Lindsay, Co-Founder of Moon&Back Media, added, “What an amazing twelve months it’s been for the boys! From being cast in December last year, to experiencing a unique and unforgettable 100 days of K-Pop training with SM Entertainment in Korea, then premiering a 6-part Saturday night BBC One TV series in the summer, followed by the Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience Original TV Soundtrack EP release and a superb live performance on the UK’s highest-rated entertainment show, BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing! It’s a testament to their incredible hard work and passion that sees them sign a major global recording and distribution deal with gamma., joining a stable with some of the world’s most talented artists and music executives."

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Up next, dearALICE is ramping up to release their official debut single under gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment by the end of the year.

About gamma.

gamma., founded by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef, is a modern media and technology enterprise created to revolutionise the way artist-entrepreneurs create, distribute, and monetise their content and brands across a multitude of consumer touchpoints. Across eight global offices, gamma. serves over 10,000 monthly releases through their wholly-owned technology and rights management platform, Vydia, in addition to working with global superstar artists and partners including: Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records, its catalogue as well as emerging talent including R&B artist October London; mega, a joint venture with superstar USHER & industry pioneer L.A. Reid; a partnership with icon and mogul Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group; a partnership with Rebel Music/Open Shift Distribution, delivering music from rap’s new queen Sexyy Red and burgeoning talent honestav, Lomiiel and Kevin Smiley; French Montana’s Mac & Cheese 5; WILLOW’s empathogen in partnership with Three Six Zero Recordings; 4batz, R&B’s current generational torch bearer; Rich The Kid’s Life’s A Gamble; Santiago, the multimedia project from Russ; and a partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures and WaterTower Music on the soundtrack for the motion picture The Color Purple, among others.

The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, London, Miami, Nashville, Lagos, Johannesburg and Dubai.

About Kakao Entertainment

Kakao Entertainment is a global entertainment company affiliated with the leading Korean tech company Kakao Corp. Kakao Entertainment combines the full spectrum of the entertainment industry value chain, across its Music, Story, and Media businesses. Kakao Entertainment's music business has an unrivaled distribution competitiveness with a library of about 120,000 songs and production capacity which releases 1,200 new tracks every year, and "Melon" leads the industry as Korea's No. 1 music streaming platform. By operating a multi-label system, Kakao Entertainment is not only producing music IPs for various artists such as IVE, but also strengthening its global business in cooperation with K-Pop IP powerhouse SM Entertainment. Its Story business operates “kakaopage” and “Kakao Webtoon,” two leading mobile content platforms that provide users with an offering of over 80,000 story IPs, both domestically and abroad. Together, these platforms retain Korea’s most extensive library of original content. It also operates “Radish” and “Tapas” which provide leading online fiction and webtoon content to English-speaking audiences. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Kakao Entertainment’s global footprint spans across Korea, Japan, North America, Greater China, Southeast Asia and India and is expanding rapidly. Kakao Entertainment's Media business boasts a diversified video production capability for mobile, TV, and film with 80 top Korean creators and 160 globally beloved Korean celebrities under management.

About SM Entertainment

SM Entertainment stands as South Korea's No. 1 entertainment and media group, leading the way in international markets with its unique and innovative production and training system, coupled with unparalleled overseas marketing strategies. As a trailblazing entity, it has cultivated a galaxy of global K-Pop superstars, solidifying its status as a premier industry leader. SM Entertainment is dedicated to every facet of the music business, meticulously orchestrating album planning, production, distribution, promotion, and artist management. Leveraging a wealth of accumulated expertise, it sets the standard for excellence in each endeavor. The company manages artists, including, but not limited to: KANGTA, BoA, TVXQ!, SUPER JUNIOR, GIRLS’ GENERATION, SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT U, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, NCT WISH, WayV, SuperM, aespa, GOT the beat, RIIZE, and more. SM Entertainment has established a global network through overseas subsidiaries in the United States, Japan, as well as other countries, owning various affiliated companies such as SM C&C, KEYEAST, DearU, SM Brand Marketing, etc. Furthermore, by creating the unique concert brand called SMTOWN, the organisation has successfully hosted shows in major cities worldwide, continuously setting new records in the concert business. SM Entertainment is growing as the world’s leading entertainment company, and as the pioneer of K-Pop and the creator of an unrivaled system, it continues to produce today’s most prominent K-Pop acts.

About Moon&Back Media

Moon&Back Media is a partnership between Nigel Hall, Dawn Airey and Russ Lindsay borne out of a longstanding relationship at the highest level of the global television industry, where the three multi award winning founders have been launching talent, creating IP and producing / commissioning the world’s most successful television shows for over three decades. LA-based Asylum Entertainment Group invested in Moon&Back in 2024. Utilising Nigel’s exceptional creative prowess, Dawn’s global experience in traditional television and digital exploitation, Russ’s extensive knowledge of IP creation and marketing, and their combined relationships with the very best broadcast talent, they have combined their unique skills once again. Hall’s success is highlighted by his work as former Head of Light Entertainment at ITV, creating hits like Celebrity Stars in their Eyes, You’ve Been Framed and Saturday Night Takeaway. Later, Lindsay – who, as co-founder of UK-based talent agency James Grant, had been managing top-tier talent – pulled in Hall to forge Syco Entertainment with Simon Cowell. As Managing Director, Hall co-created, formatted and executive produced the two biggest formats in the last 20 years: the UK and global versions of The X Factor and the Got Talent franchise. Through Hall’s stewardship, The X Factor spawned local versions in 56 countries while Got Talent currently airs in more than 190 international territories. Lindsay also co-founded Talent Bank, which bridges the entertainment industry’s preeminent talent with a sophisticated network of digital broadcast platforms. Airey’s television career is punctuated by her roles as Controller of Arts & Ent at Channel 4, CEO of Channel 5 and Managing Director of Sky Channels and ITV Productions. Drawing on immense experience in the global digital space, Airey also served as SVP of Yahoo! and CEO of Getty Images.

The series executive team includes BAFTA-winning Executive Producer and format creator David Hall (Deal or No Deal, The Greatest Dancer, The Chase), music industry executive Ben Karter (Taylor Swift, The Script, Westlife), Series Editor Nadia Dyer-Collins (Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here) and Emmy-nominated show runner James McKinlay (America’s Got Talent, X Factor)’.

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