“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter with two exceptional artists who have earned widespread recognition in Korea’s and Asia’s hip-hop scene,” said Calvin Wong, CEO of Southeast Asia & Korea, Universal Music Group . “Their expertise and fresh perspective promise to inspire and elevate the current music landscape, and we are fully committed to supporting their artistic journey.”

The announcement coincides with a new branding of Artist & Label (A&L) , a domestic artist division under Universal Music Korea, generating excitement for the artists’ upcoming projects.

With over a decade in the industry, Okasian is widely regarded as one of Korea’s top rappers. He first made waves as part of the The Cohort hip-hop crew—alongside Keith Ape, Bryan Chase, and others—earning a spot on XXL’s “Top 10 Must-Know Rappers from Korea” list alongside BTS’s RM. His distinctive style and delivery have led to collaborations with THE BLACKLABEL (Taeyang, Rose of BLACKPINK, Meovv), as well as releases under Interscope and 88rising. "I am truly delighted to embark on this new journey with Universal Music Korea, collaborating to create great music and authentic works together." Okasian says.

Named by Hypebeast as “a staple of the underground rap scene of Seoul,” Bryan Chase is known for his versatility and melodic flows. Starting off strongly with ‘No Flex Zone (remix)’ a decade ago, he has been making a significant impact in Korea’s Hip Hop scene along with his crew members, Okasian and Keith Ape. His artistry has led him to partnerships with THE BLACKLABEL, Interscope and 88rising, and a collaboration with K-Pop artist TAYEANG on “Nightfall”, and U.S. rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie on “2U.” Bryan Chase speaks on this new partnership; “Joining UMG is an incredible honor. We’ve built this from the ground up sdwith love and belief in the music. Now with this partnership, we’re ready to share our sound with the world. This is a new beginning and we’re expecting great things ahead.”

Most recently, both artists featured on “LOV3,” a track from Sik-k and Lil Moshpit's EP [K-FLIP+] released in March 2025. The collaboration has already been hailed by listeners as the “2025 Hip-Hop Track of the Year.”

Universal Music Korea’s current artist roster includes DEAN and HEYOON. With the addition of Okasian and Bryan Chase, the company has strengthened its lineup of artists across diverse genres. Along with the announcement of these exclusive contracts, Universal Music has launched its Artist & Label (A&L) Instagram channel to share various updates about their artists.

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