The K-pop world was recently shaken by the abrupt disbandment of ATBO, one of the 4th generation idol groups under IST Entertainment. On December 17, 2025, IST officially announced the group’s disbandment, stating that the decision was made after thorough discussions with all members. The news came shortly after fans noticed unusual activity, including the sudden shutdown of ATBO‘s Weverse, sparking speculation about the group’s future.
Now, with ATBO officially disbanded, attention has turned to IST Entertainment’s rapidly shrinking artist roster. Once home to several prominent groups, IST is now left with only Kep1er’s Huening Bahiyyih as its sole active idol.
IST Entertainment’s journey has been complex. Initially launched in 2011 as a subsidiary of CUBE Entertainment, it debuted APink and later evolved into Plan A Entertainment. In 2016, it separated from CUBE and debuted the boy group VICTON. The agency underwent a major transformation when Plan A, Cre.Ker Entertainment, and Fave Entertainment merged to form what is now IST Entertainment. This merger brought in groups like THE BOYZ under its management.
In 2020 and 2022, IST launched Weeekly and ATBO respectively. However, a wave of contract expirations and group disbandments soon followed. In 2024, both VICTON and THE BOYZ ended their contracts. By 2025, all members of APink had departed, with Eunji formally leaving earlier this year. The rock band Bandage also cut ties with the agency.
Weeekly and ATBO‘s contracts both came to an end in 2025, and now, only Huening Bahiyyih, who is concurrently a member of Kep1er and associated with IST, remains.
Fans and netizens are expressing concern over the company’s future, particularly for its trainees some of whom have gained visibility through survival programs like Boys II Planet. Many are wondering what the next move for IST will be, and whether the agency will manage to reinvent itself amid these rapid departures.
As the landscape of K-pop continues to evolve, IST Entertainment faces a pivotal moment that could define its future in the industry.
Sources: Koreaboo
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