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Mamamoo’s label RBW Entertainment acquires DSP Media, fans say ‘RBW sucks too’

Fans of Kard, Mirae April, and other DSP Media artists share their thoughts on the merger of the label with RBW Entertainment

With the global popularity of K-pop, mergers of smaller agencies into bigger, more well-known labels can be proved as fruitful for the progress of the plethora of K-pop groups that are currently working in the Korean Music Industry. With HYBE, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and more fighting the top spots in the K-pop scene, many lesser-known labels are trying hard to help K-pop acts reach their true potential.

On January 27, it was revealed that girl group Mamamoo’s label RBW Entertainment (Rainbow Bridge Entertainment) has decided to take over DSP Media. RBW Entertainment had initially announced that they were planning to merge and acquire (M&A) multiple agencies as they hoped to start full-fledged Intellectual Property (IP) and Non-Fungible Token (NFT) businesses as a way to expand the scope of the label. RBW Entertainment currently manages groups like Mamamoo, Oneus, Onewe, Purple Kiss as well as soloists like Esna, Na Go Eun among others.

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RBW Entertainment acquires DSP Media

With this new acquisition, RBW Entertainment will acquire more than a 51% stake in DSP Media which will now be incorporated with RBW Entertainment as their subsidiary. With this merger and acquisition, RBW Entertainment will be in charge of DSP Media groups like Kard, Mirae, April, and Fin. K.L as well as the soloist, Hur Young Ji among a few other K-pop acts.

While DSP Media is RBW Entertainemnts’ latest acquisition, the label also acquired WM Entertainment back in 2021 by taking over groups like Oh My Girl and ONF in the last year alone. DSP Media, on the other hand, has been a relatively smaller company with a surprisingly older history in Korean music after its initial establishment in the 1990s.

‘RBW sucks but DSP is worse for them’

Fans of groups under DSP Media are not particularly happy with this acquisition as RBW Entertainment is known only for the popularity of their girl group Mamamoo where Whee-in, a member of the group chose to sign with a new label, The L1VE instead of renewing her contract with RBW. This new merger is being met with contradicting opinions online as one fan of Kard said, “Here's a Hidden Kard and Moomoo for years. Having experienced both RBW and DSP for years. RBW sucks at promoting but believe me DSP is worse. They do NO promoting for Kard and scrap their self written and self produced solo work while keeping them in the basement for 2 years. I hate RBW for the same reasons as all other Moomoo's but DSP is worse at every single thing of them safe for overworking their idols. If RBW is genuinly interested in Kard and has plans for them it can't get worse for them.” Another concerned Kard fan asked, “​​I mean, with DSP they had kind of a freedom, they already had a style. What if they want to change things?”

One more fan said, “Mamamoo and kard in one company wow not what I expected to see this morning but this might be good for kard although rbw sucks too I think they're better than dsp.” Another fan said, “oh wow after WM now RBW also acquired DSP. To think that dsp used to be a big name in the industry and now they're here.” One fan critiqued DSP Media saying, “So far, DSP Media has never allowed KARD to go to the weekly idol variety show, idol room or knowing bros. So joining RBW is the best choice and very profitable to become a So that they are even more popular, especially in South Korea. Not only abroad.”

Another fan said, “I'm a KARD fan but I don't know why I'm not at all worried about RBW acquiring DSP Media. This is just a collaboration of 2 agencies, an acquisition. Even though the acquisition, does not mean that RBW can limit promotional activities limit the of April, KARD & Mirae.” One Mirae fan joked, “RBW acquires DSP?? Guess the CEO can't handle Dongpyo anymore.” Another fan noted, “mamamoo and kard in one company wow not what I expected to see this morning but this might be good for kard although rbw sucks too I think they're better than dsp.”