2012–2020: Joint ventures and development
In March 2012, Pledis debuted their first boy band NU'EST. In May 2012, the agency joint ventures with Fantagio and debuted a six-member girl group, Hello Venus.[11] In June 2012, Kahi "graduated" from After School and continued with her solo career under Pledis.
On November 11, 2013, Pledis Entertainment and Chinese agency Yuehua Entertainment held a press conference titled "Yuehua Entertainment X Pledis" at the Beijing Banquet Hall, marking the start of a collaboration under which the sub-unit NU'EST-M was formed with the addition of Chinese member Jason Fulong Fei, known as JA. The six-member team performed for the first time at the press event.[12]
On July 21, 2014, the partnership between Pledis and Fantagio was dissolved. The two members under Pledis, Yoo Ara and Yoonjo, left Hello Venus while the four members under Fantagio continued as a group under the same name.[13] In December 2014, Jooyeon graduated from After School after her contract expired.[14] That month, Kahi announced to parted ways with the agency.[15]
Thirteen-member boy group Seventeen debuted in May 2015, after training under the company for several years.[16][17] In June 2015, Son Dam-bi parted ways with the agency after ten years.[18][19]
In March 2016, Pledis formed a pre-debut team called "Pledis Girlz". Some of the pre-debut team members Nayoung, Roa, Yuha, Eunwoo, Rena, Kyulkyung and Xiyeon had competed in the survival show Produce 101 and concluded the show with two members, Nayoung and Kyulkyung, debuting in the survival project girl group I.O.I. Before their debut, Pledis Girlz held concerts which the members performed weekly from May 2016 until January 2017 and also released their pre-debut single titled "WE",[20][21] with the exception of Nayoung and Kyulkyung, who were still promoting with I.O.I at the time. In January 2017, Pledis Girlz concluded their weekly concerts with the announcement of the official group name Pristin, following Nayoung and Kyulkyung wrapping up their activities with I.O.I in the same months. Pristin officially debuted as a ten-member girl group in March 2017.
On May 31, 2017, UEE graduated from After School after her contract expired.[22]
In May 2018, Lizzy graduated from After School following the expiration of her contract but remains a member of Orange Caramel. In June 2018, it was confirmed that After School member Kaeun and Huh Yunjin, a Korean-American trainee, would participate in the survival show series Produce 48. At the end of the show, it was revealed that Kaeun placed 14th overall and Yunjin placed 26th. Both failed to make it into the final lineup of the winning group, Iz*One. Yunjin was later signed to Source Music and debuted as a member of Le Sserafim in May 2022.[23]
On May 24, 2019, Pristin was officially disbanded.[24] Pledis announced that while Kyulkyung, Yehana, and Sungyeon would stay with the company, the remaining seven (Xiyeon, Rena, Roa, Kyla, Nayoung, Yuha, and Eunwoo) would be departing.[25] After reuniting for the first time in almost two years, NU'EST announced their contract renewal with Pledis Entertainment.[26][27] On July 6, 2019, Kaeun graduated from After School following the expiration of her contract.[28] On December 20, 2019, Han Dong-geun parted ways with Pledis Entertainment.[29] On December 27, 2019, Raina graduated from After School following the expiration of her contract.[30]
On January 16, 2020, After School's E-Young announced that she has left Pledis Entertainment with the expiration of her contract.[31]
