https://www.scmp.com/rss/522116/feed Hybe is a South Korean multinational entertainment lifestyle platform company, headquartered in Seoul. Established in 2005 as Big Hit Entertainment, it rebranded in 2021. Its core services include music production, artist management, publishing and operating the global fan engagement platform Weverse. Targeting a worldwide audience, Hybe is renowned for managing K-pop group BTS and is a "Big Four" K-pop agency. Its strategic focus is boundless global expansion, employing a "Multi-home,... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korean police have moved to detain Bang Si-hyuk, the founder of K-pop giant Hybe – the entertainment company behind groups including BTS – in a case that has spilled beyond finance and into the politics of Seoul’s uneasy alliance with Washington. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it had requested an arrest warrant for Bang through the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, citing alleged fraudulent stock trading in violation of the Capital Markets Act. The case took on a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350898/south-korean-police-seek-arrest-warrant-hybe-founder-bang-after-travel-request?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350898/south-korean-police-seek-arrest-warrant-hybe-founder-bang-after-travel-request?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:09:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press All seven members log onto a live stream, broadcast from a beach. A few years ago, it would have been a common image. But since the K-pop boy band BTS pressed pause on their full-band duties for nearly four years, it is revelatory. That is the scene at the start of BTS: The Return, a new Netflix documentary directed by Bao Nguyen (The Stringer, The Greatest Night in Pop) and produced by This Machine (Martha, Karol G) and Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS. The mostly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347781/netflix-documentary-bts-return-highlights-k-pop-kings-comeback-album?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347781/netflix-documentary-bts-return-highlights-k-pop-kings-comeback-album?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Pyo Kyung-min Now that K-pop juggernaut BTS have officially made their comeback – having just staged a free performance at the Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21 and with three more dates at Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11 and 12 – fans from around the world are once again planning journeys that extend far beyond a single night of music. For many members of Army, BTS’ official fandom, travelling to South Korea is also about stepping into the physical landscapes that shaped the group’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347533/10-bts-pilgrimage-spots-south-korea-every-army-fan-should-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347533/10-bts-pilgrimage-spots-south-korea-every-army-fan-should-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 03:15:08 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Gwanghwamun Square, the symbolic centre of the South Korean capital Seoul, is home to two statues – King Sejong, architect of the Korean alphabet Hangul, and Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the naval hero who repelled Japanese invasions – with the gates of the historical Gyeongbokgung Palace rising behind them. On March 21, this open-air plaza will play host to a different kind of national icon: BTS. The seven-member group – made up of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – will stage a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346835/free-bts-concert-mark-k-pop-comeback-no-other-are-you-ready-army?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346835/free-bts-concert-mark-k-pop-comeback-no-other-are-you-ready-army?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Singer-turned-actor Seo In-guk is currently starring in Netflix’s high-concept workplace romantic comedy Boyfriend on Demand. The 38-year-old shares the screen with another performer who has recently traded the concert stage for sound stages: Blackpink’s Jisoo. Born in Ulsan in southeast South Korea, Seo grew up in a working-class household; his mother worked at a recycling centre and his father was a welder. Seo was athletic as a child, taking part in ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling),... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3346353/who-seo-guk-jisoos-co-star-netflix-k-drama-boyfriend-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3346353/who-seo-guk-jisoos-co-star-netflix-k-drama-boyfriend-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:15:08 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Earlier this week, Hybe x Geffen, the management companies behind girl group Katseye, announced that member Manon Bannerman would be taking a hiatus from the group to focus on her health and well-being. Bannerman later addressed concerned fans directly through a statement on Weverse writing, “Hi friends. I want you to hear this from me, I’m healthy, I’m OK, and I’m taking care of myself. Thank u for checking in! Sometimes things unfold in ways we don’t fully control, but I’m trusting the bigger... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3344570/meet-manon-bannerman-whose-hiatus-katseye-sparking-fan-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3344570/meet-manon-bannerman-whose-hiatus-katseye-sparking-fan-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:08:14 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times On a lively weekend afternoon beneath Marina Bay Sands, there is no stage, no spotlight and no audience in the conventional sense. Still, familiar music fills the underground concourse. A group of teenage girls moves in sync to rookie K-pop girl group Hearts2Hearts’ “Focus”, counting beats under their breath. A few meters away, another dance team rehearses choreography to Twice’s “Feel Special”, adjusting their formation as shoppers pass by. No one appears surprised. Scenes like this now unfold... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341916/all-singapore-k-pops-stage-new-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341916/all-singapore-k-pops-stage-new-tourism-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:55:45 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Almost every Katseye performance begins the same way. The bass notes of the girl group’s first single “Debut” echo through the venue, bright stage lights shine on its members and a screaming crowd nearly drowns out their vocals. But roughly a week before heading out on their first official tour, their opening number was met with a few sparse claps. Inside the Hollywood Palladium, the group – fresh-faced, high-spirited and decked out in their colour-coordinated stagewear – held their final dress... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3337509/whats-next-katseye-global-girl-group-their-beautiful-chaos-tour-and-reclaiming-their-lives-20-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3337509/whats-next-katseye-global-girl-group-their-beautiful-chaos-tour-and-reclaiming-their-lives-20-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:00:10 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee From sold-out stadium tours in the US, Europe and Asia to history-making Grammy nominations, K-pop has never stood taller on the global stage. Yet within South Korea, many say the music they once called their own now feels made for someone else. For fans like 21-year-old university student Lee Ye-jin, that shift hits every time she turns on the radio or scrolls through new releases on her phone. Lee has been a member of “Light” – the official fan club of popular boy band Highlight – since 2016.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336263/why-south-koreans-are-falling-out-love-k-pop-its-all-english-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336263/why-south-koreans-are-falling-out-love-k-pop-its-all-english-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:10 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A faction of BTS member Jungkook’s fans staged a protest truck demonstration in front of Hybe’s headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday, criticising the singer over recent dating speculation involving Aespa member Winter. According to photos and witness accounts shared online, the truck displayed messages accusing Jungkook of misleading fans and damaging the group’s image. The LED signs included phrases such as “erase the couple tattoo or step back from BTS activities”, “Are you in your right mind... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335882/bts-jungkook-faces-fan-fury-over-dating-rumours-aespas-winter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335882/bts-jungkook-faces-fan-fury-over-dating-rumours-aespas-winter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 07:41:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The experiment was a remarkable success. In 2023, South Korean company Hybe Corporation and American record label Geffen Records set out on a quest to create a global girl group. The following year, their process was documented in the Netflix series Popstar Academy: Katseye. That June, Katseye debuted. This was no ordinary pop act. Members of the multilingual, multinational group – Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza and Yoonchae Jeung, each known by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3325131/girl-group-katseye-their-viral-gap-ad-gnarly-diversity-and-more-after-crazy-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3325131/girl-group-katseye-their-viral-gap-ad-gnarly-diversity-and-more-after-crazy-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa “Global girl group” Katseye, known for their 2024 breakthrough single “Touch”, is gaining international attention for their recent advert for Gap’s denim. During the 90-second video, the group’s members Daniela, Lara, Manon, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae dance to Kelis’ 2003 song “Milkshake”. Katseye is a Los Angeles-based girl group that debuted in 2024 under Hybe Corporation (the company behind K-pop giants BTS) and American record label Geffen Records. They are known for their diversity, with... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3323131/meet-katseyes-lara-raj-lgbt-star-inspiring-new-gap-ad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3323131/meet-katseyes-lara-raj-lgbt-star-inspiring-new-gap-ad?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 03:49:15 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg In a gleaming, mirror-lined studio above Singapore’s Orchard Road, Gabriella Tjokrohadi moves through a carefully practised routine as an instructor calls out cues in Korean. When the music cuts, she rushes to the camera to study the footage, scrutinising every angle, posture and facial expression. The 25-year-old Indonesian has long dreamed of breaking into South Korea’s entertainment industry. But instead of Seoul, her journey has led her to Singapore – home to Southeast Asia’s first K-pop... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3320882/singapores-next-k-pop-idols-pick-moves-first-southeast-asian-academy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3320882/singapores-next-k-pop-idols-pick-moves-first-southeast-asian-academy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 01:34:49 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Few groups survive a decade in the relentless world of K-pop. But on a charged June night in Goyang, industry juggernauts BTS celebrated 12 years since they first burst onto the scene. Last month’s 2025 BTS Festa saw more than 60,000 fans pack the Kintex centre in the Seoul suburb to commemorate the group’s anniversary. That same weekend, J-Hope held the final dates of his world tour in a nearby stadium complex, marking the first time all seven members of BTS were seen on stage together again... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3319635/what-7-year-curse-bts-blackpink-and-new-era-global-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3319635/what-7-year-curse-bts-blackpink-and-new-era-global-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 00:00:16 +0000