gamma., Kakao Entertainment, & SM Entertainment Form Partnership To Launch British Boy Band dearALICE

gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment form strategic global alliance to launch and promote British boy band dearALICE.

gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment announce today that they have formed a strategic global alliance for the launch of British boy band dearALICE.

This partnership will support the arrival of dearALICE’s debut and lay the groundwork for their global takeover, giving full backing to their ambitious journey to stardom.

gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment’s alliance encompasses global distribution networks across the US, UK, and Korea/APAC, with global label services ranging across A&R, production, marketing, promotion, brand sponsorships, and global business development, paving the way for a transformative impact on the industry worldwide.

dearALICE is the first of its kind — a boy band formed via a TV show format by two leaders of Korean entertainment, Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment, and award-winning British producers and music entertainment specialists Moon&Back Media, the masterminds behind “Britain’s Got Talent” and “The X Factor”, who introduced global superstars One Direction to the world.

The original six-part series “Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience” aired on BBC One as part of its prestigious Saturday night schedule with international distribution of the series handled by ITV Studios and offered viewers an exclusive glimpse into the world-renowned K-pop training process.

The show followed five hand-selected UK boy band members as they embarked on a 100-day journey gaining firsthand experience training at SM Entertainment, a program that usually spans across years for K-pop artists.

This groundbreaking, multicultural format produced an original soundtrack featuring dearALICE, which debuted at #1 on the UK 50 Soundtrack Albums chart.

Larry Jackson (Co-Founder & CEO, gamma.), Joseph Chang (co-CEO, Kakao Entertainment; CEO, SM & Kakao Entertainment), Jung Min Choi (CGO, SM Entertainment), Kevin Nishimura (COO, SM & Kakao Entertainment), Ben Cook (President UK & Europe, gamma.), and Russ Lindsay (Co-Founder, Moon&Back Media) came together in Los Angeles to finalize and celebrate the agreement.

dearALICE members Blaise Noon, Dexter Greenwood, James Sharp, Oliver (Olly) Quinn, and Reese Carter were on hand for the symbolic kickoff of the ambitious journey to establish the group as an international powerhouse.

Larry Jackson, Co-Founder & CEO of gamma. states, “I have found that it is a superpower in life to embrace the truth of ‘I know what I don’t know.’ I have always been intrigued by the music and culture coming out of South Korea, and to now partner with Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment on dearALICE affords gamma. an opportunity to learn from THE BEST in that culture. We are already finding a special creative kinship with Joseph, Kevin and their teams. Our ideations are very much aligned albeit informed by different life experiences, from disparate corners of the globe. The cleverness of creating this show, it premiering on the BBC in the U.K., and bringing this extremely talented group to the world by way of it, was their idea, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Kakao Entertainment and SM have always been purveyors of true, patient artist development in Korea, and I have deeply respected their approach from afar. Expect to hear a lot from dearALICE in 2025.”

gamma., the artist-first multimedia platform providing creative and business services across all artistic and commercial formats launched in 2023, co-founded by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef.

It is a modern media and technology enterprise created to revolutionize the way artist-entrepreneurs create, distribute, and monetize their content and brands across a multitude of consumer touchpoints.

To date gamma. has partnered with global superstars including USHER, Snoop Dogg & Death Row Records, Rick Ross, and Sexyy Red among others.

Joseph Chang, co-CEO of Kakao Entertainment and CEO of SM & Kakao Entertainment, shared, “Our partnership with gamma. represents an exciting step in our ongoing strategy for the successful launch of dearALICE. Collaborating with a label of gamma.’s stature, known for its deep industry expertise and innovative approach, allows us to accelerate our efforts in bringing forward dearALICE to audiences worldwide. dearALICE stands out as a truly distinctive project for our company, blending British roots with the global reach and creative influences of Kakao Entertainment and SM Entertainment. We believe this collaboration will unlock new opportunities for the group to thrive internationally, while also showcasing their groundbreaking artistry to music fans across the globe.”

Russ Lindsay, Co-Founder of Moon&Back Media, added, “What an amazing twelve months it’s been for the boys! From being cast in December last year, to experiencing a unique and unforgettable 100 days of K-pop training with SM Entertainment in Korea, then premiering a 6-part Saturday night BBC One TV series in the summer, followed by the ‘Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience Original TV Soundtrack’ EP release and a superb live performance on the UK’s highest-rated entertainment show, BBC One’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’! It’s a testament to their incredible hard work and passion that sees them sign a major global recording and distribution deal with gamma., joining a stable with some of the world’s most talented artists and music executives.”

Up next, dearALICE is ramping up to release their official debut single under gamma., Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment by the end of the year.