Major Korean record labels including YG Entertainment and CJ E&M are expanding their investment in non-mainstream musicians with hip-hop singers and indie bands recently gaining traction in the music scene, according to a local media outlet.

CJ E&M, South Korea’s largest entertainment and media company, recently signed a sponsorship deal with KBS competition program “Top Band 3” to supervise the production and distribution of the contestants’ songs.

“As we already had know-how from putting out a rap competition series, ‘Show Me the Money,’ we will use it to expand the market base of indie and rock bands,” CJ E&M’s official said.

In October, CJ E&M also signed a deal with hip-hop label Hi-Lite Records to push ahead with their foray into the global market.

YG Entertainment, one of the nation’s top three labels, also set up a hip-hop label in March, which is run by Epik High’s Tablo. Its indie band, Hyukoh Band, recently rose to stardom after appearing on hit MBC variety show “Infinite Challenge” during the show’s music festival.

Major labels’ moves to invest in nonmainstream musicians are not always welcome in the K-pop scene. Some insiders are concerned that their scouting can hurt music diversity.

One expert said, “Unless the major label guarantees the independent music activity of the indie musicians, they may lose their true colors.”

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)