4Minute, Beast to Advance Overseas

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

K-pop girl group 4Minute and boy band Beast will soon be advancing into overseas markets, thanks to an agreement signed by their agency Play Cube Entertainment with Universal Music Group (UMG).

UMG, the world's leading music company, signed a strategic partnership with Play Cube, Monday. This agreement will allow Universal Music to distribute and market albums by Play Cube's artists such as 4Minute and Beast abroad.

``Universal Music's powerful marketing strategies and network will help introduce Play Cube artists to the world market. We are very pleased to introduce wonderful and talented artists from Play Cube,'' Max Hole, president of UMG International Asia-Pacific region, said in a statement.

Simon Hong, CEO of Play Cube, said the partnership with UMG will greatly help their artists successfully become more known on the world stage.

Yang Beom-joon, Universal Music Korea managing director, expressed confidence that K-pop music will get a lot of love and attention from fans around the world.

The first step of the cooperation will involve the release of girl group 4Minute's debut album ``For Muzik'' in eight Asian countries, including Japan. 4Minute hit it big in 2009 with the catchy dance songs ``Hot Issue'' and ``What a Girl Wants.''

Aside from 4Minute, other Play Cube artists are boy band Beast, which released the single ``Crazy'' last year; and solo artists Mario; Eddie; AJ; and Youngji.

UMG develops, markets and distributes recorded music through a network of subsidiaries, joint ventures and licensees in 77 countries. Some of its labels include Interscope Geffen A&M, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Universal Motown Republic Group and Decca Label Group. Artists signed with these labels include Rihanna, Kanye West, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Amy Winehouse, Jack Johnson, Lil Wayne, Akon and Andrea Bocelli.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

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