Konnect Entertainment
| Company type | Independent entertainment firm |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | June 5, 2019 |
| Founder | Kang Daniel |
| Defunct | June 9, 2024 |
| Headquarters | Seoul , South Korea |
Area served | South Korea, international |
Key people | Kang Daniel (Founder and former CEO) |
| Products | Music production, artist management, entertainment services |
Konnect Entertainment (; presented as KONNECT Entertainment) was a South Korean independent entertainment firm established on June 5, 2019, by Kang Daniel. Based in Seoul's Gangnam District, the company managed solo artists Kang Daniel, Chancellor, and Yuju. Additionally, it represented the dance group We Dem Boyz (WDBZ).
2019–2020: Establishment and early phase
On June 5, 2019, Kang Daniel launched Konnect Entertainment as a solo artist agency. The name "Konnect" merges "Korea" with "connect," symbolizing his ambition to bridge Korea and the international market through his endeavors.
After the dissolution of Wanna One, Kang encountered a legal conflict with his prior agency concerning the unauthorized transfer of his contract rights. This dispute led to a six-month pause in his activities until the Seoul Central District Court ruled in his favor by suspending the contract, allowing him to pursue independent work. Supported by legal counsel and specialists, Kang founded KD Corporation Ltd. along with Konnect Entertainment. A company spokesperson explained that Kang opted for a one-person agency model to align with his long-term career strategy and to promptly reconnect with fans.
During the comeback showcase for his second EP broadcast on Mnet and M2 channels, Kang disclosed that Konnect’s dance team consisted of close friends from his past. KD Corporation also announced intentions to diversify its business ventures beyond entertainment.
In February 2020, Cafe de Konnect opened on the ground floor of Konnect Entertainment’s building in Gangnam. Prior to its public opening, it hosted an exclusive event for fans, providing complimentary beverages to 100 official fan club members. That same month, Kakao Friends collaborated with Kang to launch a limited edition drink and dessert menu across three cafes, including Cafe de Konnect.
2021–2022: Growth and diversification
Konnect Entertainment revealed plans in February 2021 to introduce a mobile application dedicated to Kang’s official fancafe, which had previously been accessible via the company’s website. The app was officially launched without charge on both iOS and Android platforms on March 30, 2021, marking a first for a Korean artist to develop their own app. Created by Konnect and named "Kang Daniel," this platform offers automatic translation in ten languages such as Korean, English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Malay, Spanish, Portuguese, and Thai.
In August 2021, singer-songwriter and producer Chancellor signed an exclusive agreement with Konnect Entertainment, with the agency pledging comprehensive support for his creative development. Following GFriend’s disbandment and her exit from Source Music, former member Yuju joined Konnect under an exclusive contract in September 2021.
To celebrate a partnership between Kang Daniel and SpongeBob SquarePants, Cafe de Konnect unveiled a themed beverage and dessert menu in June 2022—marking the first collaboration between a K-pop artist and a major intellectual property franchise. That year, Konnect earned the APAN K-pop Label Award for its contribution to advancing K-pop globally. To honor this recognition, Kang Daniel, Chancellor, and Yuju delivered special performances at the 2022 APAN Star Awards.
In November 2022, We Dem Boyz (WDBZ), the runner-up dance crew from Mnet's Street Man Fighter and longtime collaborators with Kang Daniel, signed exclusive contracts with Konnect Entertainment. They appeared on Kang’s lead track "Nirvana" from his repackaged album The Story: Retold, which was released that same month.
On May 20, 2024, Kang Daniel initiated a criminal investigation by filing a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against A, who held approximately 70% of Konnect Entertainment's shares as the principal shareholder. The allegations encompassed forgery, embezzlement, breach of trust, and computer-related fraud. It was claimed that A unauthorizedly used Kang's name and the corporate seal to finalize an advance distribution agreement valued at over ₩10 billion (about USD $7.4 million) in December 2022—a fact Kang only became aware of in January 2023. Damage control efforts extended for more than a year. Furthermore, A faced accusations of misappropriating ₩2 billion ($1.5 million) from the company's funds, improper use of corporate credit cards, and withdrawing ₩1.7 billion ($1.3 million) from Kang’s personal account without permission.
Concurrently, artists We Dem Boyz, Yuju, and Chancellor exited Konnect following the expiration of their contracts—We Dem Boyz in November 2023 and Yuju in April 2024. Kang also chose not to renew his artist contract upon its conclusion in early June and stepped down from his CEO position. Following these departures, all remaining Konnect staff left, and the office premises were cleared.
On June 9, Kang Daniel publicly declared the closure of KONNECT Entertainment after five years since its establishment.
Partnerships
In July 2019, Sony Music Korea took on the roles of investor and distributor for Kang’s solo debut extended play (EP), Color on Me, subsequently distributing his three-part color-themed EP series: Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. By June 2022, Kang broadened his reach into the Japanese market through a collaboration with Warner Music Japan.
April 2021 saw game developer Dalcomsoft release Superstar Kang Daniel, a rhythm game app featuring Kang’s music produced jointly with Konnect Entertainment. Available on both iOS and Android platforms, it was the first installment in the series dedicated to an individual artist. Two months later, Konnect secured a domestic management agreement with former 2NE1 member CL to oversee her activities within Korea, aiming to enhance their global business presence; this arrangement lasted two years until its conclusion in August 2023.
In September 2022, South Korean production firm Snowballs teamed up with Konnect Entertainment to launch the puzzle game app Starway Kang Daniel, accessible via iOS and Android devices.
Beyond entertainment ventures, Konnect collaborated with LIWU Law Group’s Clean Internet Center in April 2020 to actively combat harmful online comments and unlawful posts that violate personal rights.
Philanthropy
In December 2019, Konnect Entertainment contributed 31,000 briquettes to 31 briquette banks across South Korea as a token of appreciation toward fans supporting those in need on Kang’s birthday. The following year in December 2020, Kang Daniel along with agency personnel participated in Holt Children's Services’ "Please Protect Me" initiative by assembling and delivering 100 book covers. Revenue generated from kits sold through Konnect aids mental health services, medical care, housing support, livelihood assistance, and educational programs for vulnerable children.
Previous Artists
- Kang Daniel (2019–2024)
- CL (2021–2023) (jointly managed with Very Cherry)
- We Dem Boyz (WDBZ) (2022–2023)
- Yuju (2021–2024)
- Chancellor (2021–2024)
2019 and 2020s
| Release Date | Album/Song Title | Performer | Category | Distribution Format | Language | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | |||||||||||||
| July 25 | Color on Me | Kang Daniel | EP | CD, download, streaming | Korean | ||||||||
| November 25 | "Touchin'" | Single | Download, streaming | ||||||||||
| 2020 | |||||||||||||
| March 24 | Cyan | Kang Daniel | EP | CD, download, streaming | Korean | ||||||||
| July 27 | "Waves" | Kang Daniel featuring Simon Dominic, Jamie | Single | Download, streaming | |||||||||
| August 3 | Magenta | Kang Daniel | EP | CD, download, streaming | |||||||||
| 2021 | |||||||||||||
| February 16 | "Paranoia" | Kang Daniel | Single | Download, streaming | Korean | ||||||||
| April 13 | Yellow | EP | CD, download, streaming | ||||||||||
| October 13 | Chancellor | Chancellor | Full-length album | ||||||||||
| 2022 | |||||||||||||
| January 18 | Rec. | Yuju | EP | CD, download, streaming | Korean | ||||||||
| May 24 | The Story | Kang Daniel | Studio album | ||||||||||
| July 28 | "Evening" | Yuju featuring Big Naughty | Single | Download, streaming | |||||||||
| October 5 | Joy Ride | Kang Daniel | EP | CD, download, streaming | Japanese | ||||||||
| November 14 | "Slowly" | "Chancellor" | "Single" | "Download, streaming" | "Korean" | ||||||||
| "November 24" | "The Story: Retold" | "Kang Daniel" | "Reissue" | "CD, download, streaming" | "Korean" | 2023 | |||||||
| "March 7" | "O" | "Yuju" | "EP" | "CD, download, streaming" | "Korean" | ||||||||
| "June 7" | "Wasteland" | Kang Daniel" | "Single" | "Download, streaming" | "English" | ||||||||
| "June 19" | "Realiez" | "EP" | "CD, download, streaming" | "Korean, English" | |||||||||
| "September 20" | "Dalala" | "Yuju" | "Single" | "Download, streaming" | "Korean" | ||||||||
| "November 29" | "Re8el" | "Kang Daniel" | "EP" | "CD, download, streaming" | "Japanese" | ||||||||
Awards
| Award Title | Year | Category | Nominee | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APAN Star Awards | 2022 | K-pop Label Award | Konnect Entertainment – Kang Daniel (Founder and CEO) | Won |
External links
- Konnect Entertainment
- Record labels in South Korea
- Independent South Korean record labels
- South Korean talent management agencies
- South Korean firms founded in 2019
- South Korean firms closed in 2024
- Entertainment firms established in 2019
- Entertainment firms closed in 2024
- Companies headquartered in Seoul
- K-pop music labels
- Record labels founded in 2019
- Record labels closed in 2024
- Privately owned South Korean companies
- South Korean companies disestablished in 2024