South Korean Record Labels Codexery

Hybe

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Hybe Co., Ltd. is a South Korean multinational conglomerate that originated as Big Hit Entertainment.[1] The company became the first Korean entertainment firm designated a conglomerate in January 2025.[1] Originally established as a conventional music company, Hybe has transformed into a corporation centered on technology and lifestyle platforms.[1]

Key facts and history

In 2010, the company signed a joint management contract with JYP Entertainment for the boy group 2AM.[2] Bang Si-hyuk signed RM as the first member of BTS that year and launched nationwide auditions.[2] In May 2026, Hybe unveiled a new corporate identity with the mission "Discover a New Universe, Unlock an Immersive Journey".[3] February 1, 2005 marks the founding date of Big Hit Entertainment, and in 2007 the vocal trio 8Eight was signed to the label.[2]

Big Hit's first BTS performance occurred on June 13, 2013, marking their debut.[2] A majority stake in Pledis Entertainment was obtained by Big Hit during May 2020.[4] Through its subsidiary Hybe America, the company purchased Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings in April 2021.[5] By purchasing Lee Soo-man's 14.8% interest in February 2023, Hybe became SM Entertainment's top shareholder.[6]

The remaining 51.5% of Belift Lab was bought by Hybe from CJ ENM on August 10, 2023, resulting in full ownership.[7]

What the cited sources add

A filing with the Korea Fair Trade Commission for 2026 showed Hybe's group included 77 affiliates both domestic and international as of May 2026.[8][9] Hybe itself employed 908 people and Weverse Company employed 436, making them the largest domestic subsidiaries by workforce.[8][9] Bang Si-hyuk owned 12,247,734 Hybe shares as of May 21, 2026, which gave him 28.42% of the voting shares.[10][11] For the parent company at fiscal year-end 2025, Hybe disclosed consolidated separate-basis assets around ₩3.73 trillion and equity of ₩2.66 trillion.[8][9]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Company Information Popup", englishdart.fss.or.kr; "Hybe, the K-pop giant housing BTS, has become the first Korean entertainment firm to be designated a conglomerate", The Korea Herald, January 24, 2025 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kookmin Daily, December 6, 2017; Yoon, Star News, February 21, 2014; Lee, "2AM's Jo Kwon, Im Seulong, and Jung Jin Woon Return to JYP Entertainment", Newsen, April 9, 2014; ; Danbi Hong, "[Video] BTS Asks about Your Dreams in 'No More Dream' MV", Mwave, June 12, 2013 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Dalugdug, "HYBE overhauls brand identity as it pushes further into superfans and technology", Music Business Worldwide, May 13, 2026; 기자, "민희진 대표 후임 김주영 전 어도어 대표, 하이브 떠났다", 일요신문, 2026-05-15; "April 1, 2026 filing - DART - Repository of Korea's Corporate Filings", englishdart.fss.or.kr; Stassen, "Scooter Braun resigned from HYBE's board – but the K-pop giant says he'll stick around as an advisor", Music Business Worldwide, 2026-07-01 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Herman, "BTS's Agency Big Hit Becomes Majority Shareholder Of K-Pop Company Pledis, Home To Seventeen & NU'EST", May 25, 2020; Kim, News1, October 18, 2020; Benjamin, "Big Hit Entertainment To Acquire Label Founded By Korean Super Producer-Rapper Zico", November 18, 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Choi, "[Newsmaker] Big Hit Entertainment to change name to Hybe", The Korea Herald, March 19, 2021; Yeo, "BTS' agency Big Hit Entertainment rebrands itself as HYBE", NME, March 19, 2021; Choi, "[Newsmaker] Big Hit Entertainment to change name to Hybe", The Korea Herald, March 19, 2021; Jeong, Sports Donga, March 22, 2021; Jung, The Chosun Ilbo, March 30, 2021; Halperin, "HYBE, Formerly Big Hit Entertainment, Merges With Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings Bringing Together BTS, Justin Bieber, Big Machine (EXCLUSIVE)", April 2, 2021; Blistein, "Enterta en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hong, "SM founder Lee Soo-man joins hands with Hybe to counter SM's Kakao partnership", The Korea Herald, February 10, 2023; Oh, "Galaxia SM sells its entire SM Entertainment stake to Hybe", Pulse News, March 3, 2023; Frater, "K-Pop: HYBE and Kakao End Hostilities in Takeover Battle for SM Entertainment", Variety, March 11, 2023; Kim, "K-pop takeover battle loser HYBE to sell $437 mln stake in SM", Reuters, March 24, 2023; Yim, "Kakao's stake in K-pop agency SM climbs to 40%, HYBE retains 8.8%", Reuters, March 28, 2023; Naver; 스포츠동아, May 27, 2025 en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "HYBE fully acquires K-pop agency Belift Lab from CJ ENM", Korea JoongAng Daily, August 10, 2023; Frater, "Enhypen-Backer Belift Lab Acquired by K-Pop Giant Hybe", Variety, August 10, 2023 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. "2026 Large-scale Business Disclosure - DART - Repository of Korea's Corporate Filings", English DART. facts only, no text reused. englishdart.fss.or.kr
  9. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "2026 Large-scale Business Disclosure - DART - Repository of Korea's Corporate Filings", English DART (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  10. "2026 Q1 filing - DART - Repository of Korea's Corporate Filings", englishdart.fss.or.kr. facts only, no text reused. englishdart.fss.or.kr
  11. Wikipedia, "Hybe" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "2026 Q1 filing - DART - Repository of Korea's Corporate Filings", englishdart.fss.or.kr; "2026 Q1 filing - DART - Repository of Korea's Corporate Filings", englishdart.fss.or.kr (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Hybe (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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