KWAVESCOPE · AGENCY GUIDE 17
High Up Entertainment
The production-led agency founded by Black Eyed Pilseung, best known for the six-member group STAYC.
Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · Back to K-POP Agencies
Company at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Company | Highup Entertainment Corp. |
| Founded | June 14, 2017 |
| Founders | Black Eyed Pilseung, a Korean music producer duo |
| Principal act | STAYC |
| STAYC debut | November 12, 2020 with ‘SO BAD’ |
| Office | 2F, Y Building, 67 Donggyo-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul |
An agency with experienced music producers at its center
High Up was established by Black Eyed Pilseung, a songwriting and production duo whose previous work had already reached large pop audiences. The company’s public description emphasizes professional music production, artist training and the discovery of new talent. That focus distinguishes the agency from businesses that begin with a broad network of labels and acquire a music roster later.
June 2017 marks the company’s establishment, while STAYC did not debut until November 2020. There was a significant period of development between those milestones. Confusing the two dates would overlook the training and production work that made its first major group possible.
STAYC: six distinct voices and an immediate debut sound
STAYC debuted with ‘SO BAD’ on November 12, 2020. Its name expands to ‘Star To A Young Culture’, an idea that helped define the youthful confidence behind the group’s early visual presentation.
The official roster is SUMIN, SIEUN, ISA, SEEUN, YOON and J. Each member has a recognizable vocal character; the contrast between their voices is part of the appeal of the recorded music rather than an obstacle that must be hidden.
The expression ‘teen-fresh’ became associated with this sound and image. It is a useful introduction to the group’s early direction but should not be treated as the title of a fixed musical genre.
Growing beyond the first singles
The group’s early releases included songs such as ‘ASAP’, ‘STEREOTYPE’ and ‘Teddy Bear’. Some listeners arrived through short-form clips, while others followed the albums and performances more closely.
The longer album ‘Metamorphic’ broadened the group’s discography in 2024. High Up’s official site also lists a 2026 release, ‘2:LOVE’. A current profile should include that later work instead of ending the group’s story with the music that made it first popular.
The agency’s official discography is a useful safeguard against confusing an album date, a promotional video upload and an event announcement.
Why producer-led management matters
Black Eyed Pilseung had already worked across several styles of pop music before creating High Up. Experience with melody, rhythm and vocal arrangement helped give STAYC an identifiable approach, while the performers themselves developed individual stage personalities and a sustained fan community.
STAYC’s artistic identity is not identical to the founders’ earlier productions for other musicians. Those prior songwriting credits belong in the history of High Up’s creative team, not in the STAYC discography.
International activity and fans visiting Seoul
A concentrated artist roster can make the company’s identity relatively easy to explain to an overseas reader. The same focus requires careful management of performance schedules, touring and the continuing evolution of one headline act.
High Up’s Mapo-gu office is a business location, not an announced public fan experience. Official concerts and exhibitions have separate event venues and admission rules, and fans should use those notices rather than attempt to visit rehearsal spaces.
Revenue, operating results and company size
High Up Entertainment has publicly available company-level financial information. According to NICE Information Service data presented by Saramin, its revenue rose to approximately KRW 9.52 billion in 2025, up 19.6% from 2024. However, an increase in sales did not mean a return to operating profit. The company reported an operating loss of approximately KRW 2.24 billion for 2025.
The three-year comparison below uses the same legal company and calendar-year reporting basis. Amounts are rounded to two decimal places in billions of Korean won.
| Year ended December 31 | Revenue (KRW bn) | Operating profit/(loss) (KRW bn) | Net profit/(loss) (KRW bn) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 14.26 | 1.25 | 1.05 |
| 2024 | 7.96 | (3.03) | (3.00) |
| 2025 | 9.52 | (2.24) | (2.63) |
After the steep revenue drop in 2024, the 2025 recovery brought sales back to around KRW 9.5 billion. The annual operating loss narrowed from roughly KRW 3.03 billion to KRW 2.24 billion. These figures reflect the agency’s whole business and do not establish how much STAYC, a concert or a specific recording earned individually.
Employees and ownership
| Company measure | Reported information |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 14, 2017 |
| Chief executive | CHOI JIN-WOO |
| Employee count | 25 (National Pension-based company profile, updated August 28, 2026); another provider reports 35 as of December 2024 |
| Paid-in capital | Approximately KRW 1.17 billion (2025) |
| Kakao Entertainment ownership | 40% in the company-profile shareholder listing |
| Black Eyed Pilseung founders’ interests | CHOI KYU-SUNG and SONG JOO-YOUNG each listed with 21.6% |
The employee totals refer to different dates and data providers, not necessarily a recent hiring or reduction trend. Kakao Entertainment’s shareholding places High Up within a larger corporate network, although its reported revenue remains the figure of High Up itself, not Kakao Entertainment’s consolidated sales.
Financial and company sources: NICE Information Service figures as presented by Saramin, its company profile updated August 28, 2026, and JobKorea’s historic headcount. The official High Up website provides artist and address information. All amounts are rounded; brackets in the financial table signify losses.
Artist roster and A–Z links
This guide separates current affiliations from historic or project-specific connections. The KWaveScope Artist A–Z Index ↗ provides artist pages where available, without inventing links for missing profiles.
| Artist | Relationship | Editorial note |
|---|---|---|
| STAYC ↗ | Six-member K-pop girl group | SUMIN, SIEUN, ISA, SEEUN, YOON and J. |
| Black Eyed Pilseung | Founding production team | Its songwriting work predated STAYC’s debut. |
Company and artist milestones
| Year | Milestone | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | High Up Entertainment established | A production-led business began developing its own artists. |
| 2020 | STAYC debuted with ‘SO BAD’ | The company introduced its flagship girl group. |
| 2021 | STAYC released ‘STEREOTYPE’ | The catalogue expanded beyond the debut era. |
| 2024 | STAYC released ‘Metamorphic’ | The act developed a longer album project. |
| 2026 | STAYC released ‘2:LOVE’ | The company’s official discography documented new work. |
Headquarters, Google Maps and visitor information
The publicly reported address is 2F, Y Building, 67 Donggyo-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul 03991, South Korea. An office is not a public fan attraction. Artist schedules and the correct venues for public events should be verified separately.
Visitors should use local navigation for the final approach and follow official ticketing or registration instructions for concerts, fan meetings and pop-up events. Offices, studios and artist practice rooms should not be approached as public destinations.
Official resources
Official company website: High Up Entertainment ↗. Check dated company announcements before relying on a roster, audition requirement, video release or schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded High Up Entertainment?
The record-producing team Black Eyed Pilseung.
When did STAYC debut?
November 12, 2020, with ‘SO BAD’.
Who are the current STAYC members?
SUMIN, SIEUN, ISA, SEEUN, YOON and J.
What does STAYC stand for?
Star To A Young Culture.
Can visitors tour High Up’s office?
A business address does not imply public access to the company’s facilities.
What to watch next
For High Up Entertainment, the most useful next developments are confirmed music releases, artist-management statements and tour announcements. Published dates and official notices take priority over secondhand schedule summaries.
Editorial note: Company revenue is not attributed to individual artist earnings. Historical group associations are distinguished from present contracts; roster details and public-access policies may change.