C9 Entertainment

C9 Entertainment is a Seoul-based label that has built its name on disciplined roster growth rather than volume. Founded in 2012 by Kim Dae-soon and consolidated into the C9 brand in 2015, the company operates from Mapo-gu and has spent the last decade carving out a dependable mid-tier position inside Korea's idol business.

The label's current identity is easiest to read through its group launches. CIX gave C9 a clean performance-first boy-group brand in 2019. EPEX followed in 2021 with a younger, high-concept lane. NAZE, introduced ahead of a May 2026 debut, pushed the company further into multinational positioning. That sequence shows how C9 prefers spacing, character, and clear market distinction over constant churn.

C9 has also stayed active beyond idol groups through soloists, producers, and project-based work, but its main strength remains artist development with a boutique scale. That matters in a market dominated by conglomerates. C9 does not have the biggest machine in K-pop. It has stayed relevant by launching acts with a sharper point of view and by keeping its official channels focused on roster building instead of noise.