K-artists to be managed like K-pop stars under YG Plus

The logo of Peeces, an art label founded by YG Entertainment's subsidiary YG Plus [YG PLUS]

YG Entertainment subsidiary YG Plus will use the company's K-pop expertise and fuse it with art to start managing artists like its singers.

The YG-owned content production company said Monday that it founded an art label, Peeces, which will specialize in managing artists — not K-pop artists, but art creators — using a method similar to how K-pop agencies manage their stars.

The name Peeces comes from art "pieces" and "peace," symbolizing the company's goal to bring peace to people by bringing them closer to art in their everyday lives, according to YG Plus.

YG Plus is YG Entertainment's subsidiary specializing in creating and distributing merchandise and related content using YG artists' intellectual property. It was founded in 1996 and is listed on the Korea Exchange.

"The domestic art market has surpassed 1 trillion won [$750 billion] in trade volume, but the psychological barrier surrounding art is high for the general public," the company said in a press release.

"We aim to transcend all boundaries of genre and jump into the art market to start an artist management system. Just as K-pop became a global success, Peeces will seek to open up a new era of K-art."

An opening exhibition titled "House of Taste" will take place from Feb. 23 to March 5 in Itaewon, Yongsan District, central Seoul.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]