K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment’s first UK-based boy group, Dear Alice, has signed with Gamma, a US media and record company, finalizing its debut preparations.

On Wednesday, SM and Kakao Entertainment’s North American joint venture announced a strategic partnership with Gamma for Dear Alice’s debut and promotion. As the first step in this partnership, Dear Alice is set to release its official debut single later this year.

SM’s Chief Global Officer Choi Jung-min, Kakao Entertainment Co-CEO Jang Yoon-jung and Kevin Nishimura, COO of the SM-Kakao North American joint venture, met with gamma. CEO Larry Jackson and Gamma UK and Europe President Ben Cook in Los Angeles to finalize the agreement. Dear Alice members were also present at the signing event.

The collaboration spans album production, distribution, marketing and brand partnerships, with promotions targeting North America, Europe, Asia and other global markets. After the group's debut, SM, Kakao and Gamma plan to continue supporting Dear Alice’s growth through diverse collaborative efforts.

Dear Alice has already garnered significant attention ahead of the official debut. Their journey was chronicled in a six-episode TV series titled "Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience," which aired on the UK’s BBC 1. The soundtrack album of the series, sung by Dear Alice, featuring six songs, ranked at No. 1 on the UK Official Soundtrack Albums Chart in its first week of release.

Founded in 2023 by Larry Jackson, former director at Apple Music, and Ike Youssef, former CFO of Interscope Records, Gamma has partnered with several global celebrities like Usher, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Sexyy Red, as well as hip-hop label Death Row Records.