HYBE To Open An Indian Branch In 2025, Aiming For The Billion Dollar Music Industry
HYBE, led by chairman Bang Si Hyuk, has officially announced its entry into India—a massive market with a population of 1.4 billion.
On June 30, HYBE revealed, “We are currently conducting local market research and working on the practical aspects of establishing a corporation with the aim of launching a branch in India around September to October.”
According to HYBE, this strategy aligns with Chairman Bang’s “Multi-home, Multi-genre” methodology, adapted to reflect the local culture and characteristics of the Indian market, with the goal of establishing a leading position in the local music industry.
In 2021, HYBE entered the world’s largest music market, the U.S., by acquiring Ithaca Holdings, home to artists such as Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. That same year, HYBE also established a joint label with Geffen Records under Universal Music Group. In 2023, HYBE further expanded by acquiring hip-hop label QC Media Holdings, which represents artists like Lil Baby and Migos.
The girl group KATSEYE, launched by HYBE America, is a result of this strategy. Chairman Bang Si Hyuk personally oversaw every aspect of the group’s production—from music and choreography to visual creatives. Their April release “Gnarly” entered both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Top 100.
Meanwhile, HYBE Latin America, launched in the latter half of 2023, is gaining traction. Its band audition show Pase a la Fama, co-produced with Mexico’s largest broadcaster Telemundo, has become a hit locally. An audition for a Latin boy group is also underway. Both projects incorporate HYBE’s K-pop methodology into the Latin genre—a first. To strengthen its foothold in the region, HYBE also acquired Exile Music.
HYBE Japan is also showing strong results. Boy group &TEAM, which debuted in December 2022, has received certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan for every album released so far (excluding digital singles). Meanwhile, boy group aoen, created by HYBE Japan’s YX Labels through the audition program Ouen High: Dream Start Line (aired February to April on Nippon TV), debuted this month and immediately topped Japan’s Oricon chart.
A HYBE representative stated, “Chairman Bang believes that K-pop should not merely be seen as a genre of pop music, but as a methodology for identifying consumer preferences and creating super IPs based on superfans. By establishing strongholds in major global music markets and applying this methodology, HYBE’s strategy is yielding significant results.”
Source: (A)
