K-pop boy group BTS. Photo: @BIGHIT_MUSIC/XIn recent years, HYBE has consistently made waves in South Korea’s idol music industry. With a portfolio boasting some of the most popular acts in K-pop and beyond, the company has captured the attention of listeners worldwide.

Prior to becoming one of the powerhouses in the K-pop scene, HYBE began as a modest agency called Big Hit Entertainment, founded in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk, a producer who previously worked at JYP Entertainment. Over the years, Big Hit emerged as a major power player, largely attributed to the phenomenal success of its boy band BTS.

From 2019 onwards, Big Hit began acquiring other labels, such as Source Music, Pledis Entertainment and KOZ Entertainment. At the time, these agencies already housed popular acts like Seventeen (under Pledis) and the disbanded GFriend (Source Music).

In March 2021, Big Hit announced its rebranding into HYBE to reflect “all the business realms that we carry out,” such as music production and publishing, artist development and management, and intellectual property and platform ventures.

The move also entailed a new organizational structure, leading to the establishment of HYBE Labels. Under this “multi-label system,” the subsidiary agencies maintain their “independence and originality” while the parent company provides support to their creative activities, HYBE executives explained in their rebranding presentation video.

For the uninitiated in K-pop or fans who are not quite familiar, we list down below the subsidiaries under HYBE Labels as well as the artists they manage.

Tomorrow X Together. Photo: @BIGHIT_MUSIC/XBigHit Music

When Big Hit Entertainment rebranded into HYBE, the label did not disappear. Instead, the company became “a bigger vessel for BigHit to nestle in,” Bang said in the video.

Perhaps the most notable among BigHit’s roster of talents is BTS, which has built a massive international fan base called ARMY since its 2013 debut. The seven-piece act has become a cultural phenomenon, dominating key music charts in the United States and selling out stadiums.

Currently, all of BTS’ members are fulfilling their mandatory service in the South Korean military. The septet is expected to reconvene as a full group by 2025.

BigHit also manages soloist Lee Hyun, a member of the disbanded vocal duo Homme. Last year, he introduced a musical alter ego called Midnatt, whose single “Masquerade” was released in different languages with the help of artificial intelligence.

In 2019, the label also launched the five-piece Tomorrow X Together, its first boy band since BTS.

SEVENTEEN. Photo: @pledis_17/XPledis Entertainment

Taking its name from the star cluster Pleiades, Pledis was founded by Han Sung-soo. It previously housed “second generation” girl group After School, known for songs such as “Bang” and “Diva.”

Currently, the label houses SEVENTEEN, a 13-member boy band that debuted in 2015. Notably, the group’s extended play “FML” was named the biggest-selling album of 2023 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, selling 6.4 million units. 

READ: SEVENTEEN's 'FML' is biggest-selling album of 2023: IFPI

Also part of the label are Bumzu, a producer heavily involved in Seventeen's music; Baekho and Hwang Min-hyun, who were part of Pledis’ disbanded boy group NU'EST; and After School member Nana, who is currently active as an actress.

The company also began managing girl group fromis_9 in 2021 and launched boy group TWS in early 2024.

Le Sserafim. Photo: @SOURCEMUSIC/XSource Music

Established in 2009 by So Sung-jin, Source Music is known for the girl group GFriend, which was active from 2015 until its disbandment in 2021. It also co-managed the female act Glam with Big Hit from 2012 to 2015.

At the moment, Source Music is home to girl group Le Sserafim, known for earworms such as “Antifragile” and “Unforgiven.”

ENHYPEN. Photo: @BELIFTLAB/XBelift Lab

Belift Lab began in 2018 as a joint venture between Big Hit and entertainment giant CJ ENM, until HYBE gained complete ownership of the agency in 2023.

In 2020, the company introduced ENHYPEN, a seven-member boy band whose releases usually revolve around its vampiric lore. The team was formed through the reality survival show "I-LAND."

Another survival show, “R U Next?”, resulted in the creation of the label’s second act, the girl group ILLIT, which debuted last March.

READ: ILLIT wants to tell 'genuine stories' through 'relatable music'

BOYNEXTDOOR. Photo: @BOYNEXTDOOR_KOZ/XKOZ Entertainment

KOZ Entertainment was established by Zico, the hip-hop superstar and producer behind the viral hit “Any Song.” It was acquired by Big Hit in 2020.

Apart from Zico, KOZ also manages BOYNEXTDOOR, a six-piece act whose name reportedly expresses the group's "friendly" approach, similar to "boys living next door."

READ: BOYNEXTDOOR flaunts sped-up lines, ‘kitsch core’ style in EP ‘How?’

NewJeans. Photo: @NewJeans_ADOR/XADOR

Headed by Min Hee-jin, a former director at K-pop label SM Entertainment and chief brand officer at HYBE, ADOR is short for All Doors One Room. 

The label is known for launching the fast-rising girl group NewJeans, whose easy-listening tunes such as “Hype Boy,” “OMG” and “Super Shy” propelled the group to widespread popularity.

READ: NewJeans announces comeback, tour plans

&TEAM. Photo: @andTEAMofficial/XHYBE Japan

HYBE also operates subsidiaries in Japan, including HYBE Labels Japan, which debuted boy group &TEAM in December 2022, and Naeco, which houses singer-actress Yurina Hirate, a former member of J-pop act Keyakizaka46.

Apart from the abovementioned artists, HYBE is also preparing to launch Katseye, a girl group formed through the reality show "The Debut: Dream Academy" in collaboration with American record company Geffen Records. Its lineup includes Filipino talent Sophia Laforteza.

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