Imagine Asia (Korean: 이매진아시아; formerly known Wellmade Yedang), is a South Korean entertainment company established in 1976.[2][3] The company operates as a talent agency, television production company, event management, concert production company, and music publishing house.
The company was founded in 1976 as Banpo Industries, an industrial tent manufacturer that was previously headquartered at SeongnaminGyeonggi Province. In 2000, the company name was changed to Banpo Tech.
Banpo Tech merged in 2006 with Star M Entertainment, becoming Star M. Among the first artists on its roster were actors Shin Min-a, Jang Dong-gun and Hyun Bin. The company was listed on KOSDAQ in 2007.
In 2008, the company name was again changed, to Wellmade Star M. Its headquarters were moved to Gangnam District, Seoul.
In 2013, Wellmade Star M acquired Dream T Entertainment majority shareholders.[4] In 2014, it merged with Yedang Company to form Wellmade Yedang.[5] In 2015, the company acquired 39% shares of YMC Entertainment, its subsidiaries Dream T Entertainment also acquired 41% shares of YMC Entertainment and became a majority shareholders after having 80% shares of YMC.[6] The company also acquired BLUE STAR Entertainment in the same year.
In March 2016, Yedang Entertainment officially renamed to Banana Culture and following Wellmade also renamed to Imagine Asia in June.[7] However, Wellmade Yedang had continued as an independent company.
YMC Entertainment was founded in 2010 by Cho Yoo-myung, the eldest son of singer Tae Jin-ah. Imagine Asia along with Dream T Entertainment acquired it in July 2015. The label is now closed down as of 2020. Its website is now inaccessible.
Blue Star Entertainment was founded by Byun Dong-jin and Park Chang-jae, former executives of Core Contents Media (now MBK Entertainment). Imagine Asia acquired it in 2015.
