Key Takeaways

• Partnership Announcement: Warner Music has partnered with MAINSTREAM, a management agency for South Korean artists.
• First Release: Lee Young Ji’s new single “Robot” is the first release under this collaboration.
• Artist Success: Lee Young Ji has gained recognition in Korean pop and rap, winning major competitions.
• Global Strategy: The partnership aims to enhance the global presence of South Korean artists.

Warner Music has announced a new partnership with MAINSTREAM, the management agency behind South Korean stars Lee Young Ji and Kik5o, with the first release under the collaboration being Lee Young Ji’s new single “Robot.” The deal marks a significant expansion of WMG’s strategy to work closely with leading South Korean creative teams to develop artists and elevate their impact on a global scale.

Lee Young Ji, the first artist to release new music through this partnership, has become a major force in Korean pop and rap, winning M.net’s Show Me The Money 11 and High School Rapper 3. Her catalog — featuring standouts like “Small Girl,” “Day and Night,” “I’m Lee Young Ji,” “Go High,” “Not Sorry,” “Witch” and “Dejavu” — has consistently charted, underscoring both her artistic range and rising international profile. Beyond music, she has become a cultural figure through her popular YouTube series No Prepare and frequent television appearances.

Through the new partnership, Warner Music and MAINSTREAM will collaborate on talent development, music production and global marketing efforts for Lee Young Ji, Kik5o, and the agency’s wider roster. Warner Music Korea will play a central role, helping bring innovative projects to life and extending the reach of South Korean artists worldwide.

“I am delighted to partner with MAINSTREAM; they are a talented group and have been amazing in developing their artists,” said Oscar Scivier, head of A&R for Warner Music APAC. “I had such a strong belief in Young Ji’s ability to become a global superstar from the first time I heard her music. That belief has grown even stronger the more I worked with her in the studio.”

MAINSTREAM chief Hyunsoo Lee added: “We are excited to begin this new partnership with Warner Music. We feel very aligned with Oscar’s vision for breaking artists globally out of Asia, and we are already happy with the new music we’re creating together.”