Share prices of South Korea's star-studded entertainment agencies increased on solid earnings in 2014 and broadened businesses beyond film and music, bourse tally and regulatory filings showed Thursday.

Leading management agency and record label S.M. Entertainment Co. posted record sales of 286.9 billion won ($260.7 million) in 2014, up 6.8 percent from a year ago, according to its regulatory filing. The company said concert tickets and record sales in China and its new media business consolidated its earnings, with the ratio of China revenue rising from 17.9 percent to 33.7 percent.

Shares of SM jumped 8.39 percent to 34,900 won Wednesday after it announced earnings earlier in the day, when the benchmark KOSPI fell 0.15 percent. The company has Girls' Generation and EXO as its clients.

YG Entertainment Inc., which manages Big Bang and 2NE1, also logged the biggest sales of 156.3 billion won last year, a 34.4 percent surge on-year, thanks to sales coming from overseas concerts by its big-ticket stars.

Its shares inclined 4.52 percent to 48,600 won Wednesday. 

YG has been diversifying its business, launching a new fashion brand last year in collaboration with Cheil Industries, Samsung Group's fashion division. It also drew 61 billion won from the French luxury group LVMH's investment arm in September to tap into the global market.

"YG Entertainment is expected to post record earnings this year because it is set to present new artist lineups, with investment having been made last year," said Kim Chang-kwon, a researcher at KDB Daewoo Securities. "Its fashion business in collaboration with Cheil Industries and cosmetics business targeting China are also expected to contribute to its revenue."

"Korean entertainment agencies in general are enjoying benefits from the expanding entertainment market in China," said Kwon Yoon-ku, a researcher at Dongbu Securities. "This trend will last for a while." (Yonhap)