Hybe to open India office this year, testing K-pop playbook from America to Asia

The Star

16 hours ago

SEOUL: Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, Seventeen and Enhypen, is preparing to launch a new overseas branch in India between September and October, according to the company on Monday (June 30).
The announcement comes just a month after Hybe announced its new office in Beijing, its fourth global subsidiary following Japan, the US and Latin America.
The expansion is part of chairman Bang Si-hyuk's vision to export the K-pop production system -- a tightly integrated structure of talent scouting, training, music-making and fandom management -- into new markets.
India, home to 1.4 billion people and one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors in the world, is his next big bet.
The new Indian office reflects Bang's longstanding belief that K-pop needs to evolve to survive globally.
In a 2023 interview, Bang warned that while K-pop fandom is intensely loyal and engaged, that very focus may limit its global reach.
'To truly grow, we must remove the 'K' from K-pop and meet wider audiences in wider markets,' he said, pointing to the genre's relatively small global market share -- about 3 per cent -- and the rising popularity of Latin pop and Afrobeats.
Though he has since stopped publicly using the phrase 'K-pop crisis' due to industry backlash, insiders say Bang has not backed away from the idea.
'He realised the weight his words carry in the industry, so he's been more discreet -- but his belief hasn't changed,' said an industry source.
Hybe has moved quickly. It opened its Latin America and China branches in November 2023 and April 2024, respectively, and will follow with its India office in just a few months.
'This shows just how timely Bang wants to be in redefining the global K-pop model,' the source added.
Among Hybe's global ventures, its US efforts show the most tangible results. Girl group Katseye -- launched through Hybe America -- made its debut in June 2024 and has already cracked the Billboard Hot 100, widely seen as the 'dream chart.'
The multinational group applies Hybe's full-stack production approach, combining talent development, music production, management and marketing under a single chain. Bang personally oversees the group's music, choreography and visuals.
Its debut EP, 'SIS (Soft Is Strong),' featured the double main track 'Touch,' which entered Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at No. 22. The follow-up digital single, 'Gnarly,' released in April, landed on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Top 100.
Still, Katseye's impact remains mostly confined to the K-pop community.
'They haven't yet become part of mainstream or subcultural America. They're still being consumed within the K-pop bubble,' said music critic Lim Hee-yun.
In Latin America, Hybe's business is just beginning to take shape. After opening its regional office in late 2023, the company launched two major artist discovery projects.
One includes a TV audition show in collaboration with Mexican broadcaster Telemundo, and another aims to form a Latin boy band. All trainees go through a K-pop-style mentorship and training system -- a first for the region.
Hybe Japan, meanwhile, has found clear success. Its Japanese boy band &Team surpassed 800,000 shipments with its third physical single, 'Go in Blind,' and received triple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan in April. The group also topped Oricon's weekly single and composite single rankings in May.
Hybe's second Japanese boy band, Aoen, also hit No. 1 on the Oricon chart with its debut this June. The group was formed through a televised audition show, a strategy that aligns with Bang's belief in localization through familiar media formats.
In China, Hybe is treading carefully. Although it launched a branch in April, the company has no current plans to debut a local group. Instead, Hybe China will support promotional activities for existing Hybe artists and assess the market over time.
Not everyone in the industry agrees with Hybe's vision.
Grace Kao, a sociology professor at Yale University and longtime K-pop fan, says part of K-pop's global appeal is that it's distinctly Korean.
'K-pop stands out because we rarely see Korean or Asian faces in Western pop. Its unique songs, choreographies and aesthetics are a big part of the attraction,' Kao said.
Paul Thompson, an American K-pop songwriter who worked with SM Entertainment artists like Exo, NCT and Taemin of SHINee, sees fundamental challenges in the localization effort.
'It might work in some ways, but it won't in others -- especially in cultures like the US that are very individualistic,' he said.
'In America, most pop or hip-hop artists write their own music and tell personal stories -- their heartbreaks, scandals, life struggles. That authenticity is key and K-pop's system doesn't allow for that,' Thompson added.
Former YG producer Sinxity, however, sees Hybe's efforts more positively.
'Hybe is creating new demand by evolving its business model,' he said. 'K-pop may face limits within Korea, but globally it still has room to grow -- especially in niche markets.' - The Korea Herald/ANN