P Nation (Korean: 피네이션) is a South Korean entertainment company. The company operates as a record label, entertainment agency, and concert production company founded in 2018 by singer Psy. As of November 2022, the label had ten artists signed to the label.[4] The record label is located in the Gangnam area.[4][5]
History
2019-present: Founding and first artists
Following Psy's departure from YG Entertainment in 2018, Psy founded his own entertainment company, P Nation.[6] Psy announced the first artist signed to his label in January 2019, the rapper Jessi.[7] Later that month P Nation signed Hyuna and Dawn, after their joint departure from Cube Entertainment.[8]
Following the announcement of the establishment of P Nation, the stock of DI Corporation, owned by Psy's father, rose for eight consecutive days, despite the companies having no business connections.[9]
In April, SK Telecom invested 5 billion won in the company as part of their content investment strategy, bringing their sharehold to ten percent.[2][10] In June, P Nation signed the singer Crush.[11]
In September 2020, Heize, a rapper and singer previously signed to Stone Music Entertainment, was signed to the label.[12] In November, it was announced that P Nation would join with JYP Entertainment to host a new survival reality show, titled Loud, that would result in two new boy groups, one from each company. The program aired in 2021, following global auditions for the program.[13] In December, P Nation signed D.Ark, a rapper who appeared on Show Me the Money 777,Show Me the Money 9 and High School Rapper 4.[14]
In April 2021, Penomeco and Swings were each announced to have signed with P Nation.[15] On November 12, 2021, it was confirmed that D.Ark had left P Nation.[16]
On May 17, 2022, P Nation debuted their first boy group, TNX, with 6 members.[17][18] On July 6, 2022, it was announced that Jessi would be leaving P Nation after 3 years.[19] On August 29, Hyuna and Dawn also left the label.[20][21] In October 2022, P Nation launched an online fan forum called SoPSYety, based on non-fungible tokens (NFT).[22]
On June 30, 2023, Hwasa signed with P Nation while performing on stage at founder Psy's Summer Swag concert.[23] On September 15, P Nation officially signed An Shin-ae of The Barberettes.[24]
Concert incidents
In July 2022, Psy's Summer Swag concerts were under investigation for audience transmission of COVID-19. South Korea's Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters had received multiple reports from people who claimed to have contracted COVID-19 after attending a music concert that "sprays water".[25] In August 2022, P Nation offices were raided by authorities investigating the death of a construction worker at a concert venue.[5] The construction worker, in his 20's, had fallen to his death while dissembling Psy's Summer Swag concert venue.[26]
^Kim, Seul-gi (September 7, 2020). '합종연횡' 택한 SKT, '지상파·카카오' 덕 볼까. The Bell (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
^Gong, Mi-na (April 30, 2021). 스윙스, 싸이 품으로..피네이션 전속 계약[공식]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kwon, Hyun-jin (July 1, 2023). "[뉴스1 ★]화사, 언닌 피네이션 스타일...흠뻑쇼 공연 중 계약" [[News 1 ★] Hwasa, Unnie P Nation Style...Drenched show, contract during performance] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023 – via Naver.
