South Korean entertainment agency HYBE, home to K-pop juggernauts BTS, has unveiled plans to debut new groups in the United States and Japan.
On November 4, HYBE held an event dubbed the “2021 HYBE Corporate Briefing with the Community”, which was live-streamed on YouTube, where it shared future plans and goals for the company, as well as its trajectory based on its current business model.
During the event, HYBE America revealed that it is set to launch of a new girl group in collaboration with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records. Through the implementation of a “US local training system”, HYBE America says it will will reach heights that “transcend national, cultural, and artistic boundaries”. Both labels will be accepting audition applications here until November 28.
Meanwhile, HYBE Japan also shared similar plans, revealing that a boyband consisting of some former contestants from 2020 survival reality series I-LAND – namely K, Nicholas, EJ and Taki – is also in the works. There will be an additional selection of members through an audition programme titled &Audition, to be broadcasted via YouTube in 2022.
As the first phase of the HYBE LABELS JAPAN Global Debut Project, the audition program "&AUDITION" will be broadcast in Japan and streamed worldwide on YouTube in 2022.
For more details → https://t.co/pOV4129fRE#andAUDITIONboys #K #Nicholas #EJ #Taki#andAUDITION pic.twitter.com/NhpMRtC2V7— HYBE LABELS JAPAN (@HYBE_LABELS_JP) November 4, 2021
In addition, HYBE has also announced a brand-new partnership with financial-technology company Dunamu for a new business model involving the combination of intellectual property and NFTs.
An NFT-related venture is expected to arise from the partnership, which will allow content and products based on artist-related IP that will be able to be digitally-owned by fans and consumers.
The multi-national corporation also shared plans for their existing roster of acts moving forward. TXT and ENHYPEN are to receive their own series of webtoons, short films and animations as an expansion of their respective concepts, as well as a new BTS video game set to be released in early 2022.
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