Wave Music Entertainment

Wave Music Entertainment ( 웨이브 음악) is a South Korean entertainment agency and record label. Originally known as Epic Music founded by Yoon Kim in 2019.

The company currently home to idol groups such as SLANG, Blackheartz, VIBE, and SYNK. Wave Music is known to be one of the most prominent and affluent agencies in K-Pop Story. Even consider to be one of the top 5 agencies in the game.

Wave Music has multiple subsidiaries under their wing known as Epic Music Labels and Epic Music Plus which are managed by Wave Music Corporation. Also, it was an extensive partnership with Universal Music Group and US Record Label "Republic Records". It also has their own branch in Japan with Epic Music JAPAN.

As of August 10th, 2039 Epic Music Entertainment is know known as Wave Music after Byung Hoon a multi-millionaire entertainer purchased 85% of its shares and decided to change the company name.

## **Current Artists**

### **Boy Groups**

* SLANG (2037-Present)
* VIBE (2046-Present)

### **Girl Groups**

* BLACKHEARTZ (2032-Present)
* SYNK (2044-Present)

### Soloists

* Aaron An (2048- Present)
* Sughoon Hwa (2048-Present)
* KOKI (2048-Present)
* Manto Kondo (2048-Present)
* Cindy (2032-Present)

## **Former Artists**

* TREX (Disbanded)
* FOREVER (Disbanded)
* LEA (BlackHeartz)
* APINX (Disbanded)
* Everglox (Disbanded)
* Jinny Lim (Left)
* SERZ (Sub-Unit of FOREVER)
* XIDLE (Disbanded)
* Kim Martin (Left)
* Junseo (Left)
* ROSÉ (Left to FSW Ent)
* SEOLYUN
* Jess (Left/still under contract with Bhz)
* APINX (Disbanded)
* Ryo (Left/still under contract with Bhz)
* Amy (Left/still under contract with Bhz)

## **History**

### **2019-2020: Founding and first generation artists**

Epic Music was founded by a legendary music producer known as "Ouuch" he decided to create his own entertainment agency where "Epic" was executed and performed. After a few months, Epic debuted their 1st girl group FOREVER. The group struggled in making it big in the industry and Epic Music didn't had any more funds to give them regular comebacks. Member Junseo Park, was an outstanding performer in terms of vocal and rap capabilities. The CEO decided to debut her as a soloist proving to be really successful as she made enough money to keep the company afloat and give her group enough means to make their comebacks.

Epic Music was able to acquire their first subsidiary SA Entertainment, and having groups such as Night Girls & HCL3 under their wing. This also helped the company to stabilize their revenues and having a decent revenue growth.

### **2021-2031: Company Growth, Acquisitions and second generation artists**

FOREVER debuted its fist sub-unit SERZ and was a complete success. The CEO decided it was time for their company to debut their second generation girl group XIDLE on January 2,2023. It was the 1st successful debut of a group under Epic Music as the group won multiple Music Show wins, Season Awards, and took home the "Rookie of the Year" award. A year after their debut, Epic Music debuted their third girl group APINX sometime around 2024 which was a more softer and delicate concept group. It also proved to be as successful as XIDLE and now both groups were brining Epic Music status to become one of top entertainment agency in the industry.

Due to the successful debuts of XIDLE & APINX, Epic Music acquired multiple entertainment agencies such as IDM Entertainment, S-Tier Media, Move Entertainment, and created their own subsidiaries FSW Entertainment and Epic Music JAPAN; which are known as Epic Music Labels. JINNY member of XDILE made her solo debut as a soloist making her the second female soloist under Epic. After debuting three girl groups, Epic debuted its first boy group TREX on January 2,2028. Their debut was successful which lead the way for Epic fourth girl group debut Everglox on January 10, 2029 which was really successful.

### **2032-2039: Third Generation Artists & Rebranding to "Wave Music"**

After three years of Everglox debut, Epic debuted their 5th girl group Blackheartz and became one of the most successful debut of a group under Epic. After six years after Blackheartz debut, Epic debuted its second boy group SLANG in collaboration with JTB Entertainment which will also debut a boy group BADSS but will be managed independently by JTB both groups will come together to form a 14 member group FOURTEEN. In November 10,2038 CEO "Yoon Kim" and CFO "Biggu" step down from their positions after the "Lea Controversy" as of now Epic Music & Epic Music Labels does not have a CEO or CFO and is currently been managed by Executive Board until a new CEO & CFO is appointed.

August 10th, 2039 it was announced that the new CEO will be Byung-Hoon and the company name will be changed to "Wave Music". Also all subsidiaries will be managed by Wave Music Corporation a newly created entertainment and management company. Wave Music new mission is to provide a wave of new music into the industry to distinguish it self from other companies.

### **2040-Present: New Business Expansions & 4th Generation Artists**

Blackheartz leader Jess made her solo debut on February 2, 2041 officially becoming a soloist under Wave Music. After SLANG domestic breakthrough they were signed under Universal Music Group for their worldwide expansion for 2042. WAVE TREE a second in house subsidiary was created to promote Wave Music trainees & group soloists. Wave Music announced that they would be debuting their 1st Japan group VIBZ which will be managed by their Japanese branch Wave Music Japan. It was announced on January 30, 2043 the opening of a dance academy "WX Dance Academy" which would exclusively teach dance lessons & offer choreographing services to groups. Wave Music debuted thier new girl group SYNK on April 4, 2044 almost 11 years since the last launch of a new girl group by the company. On December 13, 2046, Wave Music debuted their third boy group VIBE almost nine years since the last debut of a boy group. On May 10, 2047 Wave Music introduced the campaign "WAVE NEXT" which later re-branded into The Wave Label a newly established subsidiary which would focus on more creativity and unique concepts in which new groups would launch. The first group to be launched was WYSN. On September 4, 2049 Sour Music became a new subsidiary under Wave Music and later on debuted girl group LE SSERAFIIM. On March 10, Wave Music, Wave Label, and Sour Music announced that they would be debuting three new boy groups by the end of the year TROUBLE SHOOT (WM), K-RAIDERS (WL), and SEVEN (Sour).

## **Partnerships & Divisions**

### **Partnerships**

**Republic Records (US Record Label)** Partnership since 2027, (Blackheartz only)

**Live Nation (Entertainment Company)** Partnership since 2028, promotes and distributes the sales of Epic Music Artists and EM Labels concerts overseas

**WAVE TV** A in house-video making production company. Produces most of every Epic Music Artists MV's

**K-TUBE** Partnership since 2021, in charge online concerts via their platform exclusively for Wave Music & Wave Artists

**Universal Music Group** Partnership since 2026, Distribution of music products ww and SLANG

**EMI** Partnership since 2047, USA & Global Music Promotion and distribution for boy group VIBE (Only)

**Shine Star Music** Partnership since 2047, management of Chinese promotions and actives of VIBE in China

**Interscope Records** Partnership since 2045, SYNK (Only)

### Divisions

**WAVE X An internal division that manages Wave Music soloists and their projects**

Sour Music Management exclusively of LE FEARLESS and S7VEN

The Wave Label Management exclusively of MESSIER

Wave Next will manage upcoming boy group Black Venom

## **Contracts & Trainee Life**

### **Contracts**

Artists contracts are usually up to 7 years for idol groups and 5 years for soloists. If an artists wants to terminate their exclusive contract they will have to pay up to a 1,000,000,000 Billion K-Coin fee for its termination. If they have a life threatening disease or a mental health issue the artists are let go without paying the termination fee. Also, artists can filed contract termination if Wave Music violated multiple terms of their contract they are let go and will not have to pay termination fee.

### **Salary**

All artists will be getting 50% to 50% on everything from Physical album sales, Events, Album Reissues, and Overseas Promotions. The only time where artists get to keep 100% off their revenues is when they have their own CF, Personal Activities, and other. Soloist in the other hand tend to get more if they self-composed their own music.

\*50% ratio depends on the group performance\*

### **Trainee Life**

Wave Music is a really selective company when it comes to its trainee admission rate. The reason is that Wave Music music has a 99% debut rate meaning that most of those trainees debut under the company around after 2-6yrs. With the state of the art facilities and coaches trainees train daily around 5 hours per day during the week and weekends are off. Monthly Evaluations have been reduced to one every two months. We offer our trainees classes in multiple languages, vocal, dancing, rap, music production, acting, health/fitness, and personal growth. We encourage every trainee to further their studies into University. We don’t force our trainees into harsh diets instead we encourage them to have a healthy well balanced diet. Housing is only offered for foreign trainees. Domestic trainees have to live at home unless they come outside of Seoul where they are paired with the foreign trainees. All expenses are paid by the company even transportation for foreigner trainees to their home countries.

## **Auditions**

Wave Music has multiple auditions throughout the year. Each February 3-5th, Wave Music has domestic auditions. During, these auditions potential trainees are expected to showcase their signing, rapping, dance, and charisma. It's been reported that about almost to none are admitted as a trainee.

Other ways that Wave Music has auditions are "Personal Scout" meaning that a Wave Music recruiter would bring highly performing trainees from other companies or even former groups. For those who did not make the cut their audition tapes are send to the several Wave Music Labels to potentially get a trainee contract but most of these labels tend to have their own respective admission tactics.