Ex-Stray Kids member Kim Woojin to debut under SM Entertainment's subsidiary Kustomade

Kim Woojin, former member of the popular K-pop group Stray Kids has recently signed up with SM Entertainment’s sub-label, Kustomade.

By Hrishita Das

Published on Mar 19, 2024 | 01:06 PM IST | 836.6K

Kim Woojin: courtesy of 10x Entertainment

Kim Woojin, who was formerly part of the K-pop group Stray Kids, is reportedly gearing up for his debut and has signed up with one of the industry's biggest entertainment companies, SM Entertainment. However, he will not be part of the main company but its newest subsidiary, Kustomade.

Kim Woojin joins SM Entertainment subsidiary Kustomade

On March 19, 2024, it was discovered that Kim Woojin had signed up with SM Entertainment’s subsidiary label, Kustomade. Many fans found out about the artists’s new venture through the label’s website. Kim Woojin has been named as one of the artists who has recently joined the brand new sub-label created by the powerhouse company of South Korea.

As part of SM Entertainment's SM 3.0 plan, the company has unveiled Kustomade, a new producing label. It originates from their music publishing subsidiary, Kreation Music Rights (KMR). This strategic introduction, announced in September 2023, aims to redefine artist management and music production, aligning with the broader vision of SM 3.0. Apart from Kim Woojin, another talented singer and songwriter, YELO has signed under the sub-label, which is associated with Monotree, a production team within KMR's Corporate Independent Company.

More about Kim Woonjin and his activities

Before joining JYP Entertainment, Kim Woojin was a trainee at SM Entertainment for a year and practiced alongside the members of NCT. However, in 2017, he was revealed as a JYP Entertainment trainee and subsequently debuted in the K-pop group Stray Kids. He was part of their official debut mini-album, I Am Not, and also took part in its main track, District 9, on March 26, 2018. Subsequently, he also went on to play the lead role in HBO Max's romantic fantasy series, My Magic Closet.

In 2019, he parted ways from the boy band and ended his exclusive contract with the agency for personal reasons. He then went on to sign with a newly formed company titled 10x Entertainment and debuted as a solo artist. He released his first mini-album, The Moment: A Minor, and its lead single, Ready Now, on August 8, 2021.

However, following his exit from Stray Kids, he was accused of sexual misconduct by an anonymous Twitter user. The artist consistently denied the accusations and sued the perpetrators for defamation. Upon further investigation, it was found that the accusations were fabricated by two Brazilian nationals. 10x Entertainment released a documentary titled Finger Killers, in which they follow false accusations made against Kim Woojin.