HYBE unveiled a new corporate identity, updating its official mission and branding as the South Korean entertainment giant looks to become “an entertainment lifestyle platform company built on both music and technology.”
The company’s new mission statement — “Discover a New Universe, Unlock an Immersive Journey” — replaces its previous mission, “We believe in Music,” which HYBE said will be retained internally by its music divisions as a guiding principle.
The new tagline, unveiled Wednesday (May 13), is intended to signal HYBE’s shift toward fan experiences that span content, services, and what the company described as “immersive experiences”.
HYBE is behind acts like BTS, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, ILLIT, and KATSEYE.
The renewed focus on fan experiences comes as HYBE continues to bank on superfans to grow its business.
HYBE‘s global superfan platform Weverse, which turned profitable on an annual basis in 2025, hit a record 13.37 million monthly active users in Q1, up 20% QoQ from 11.2 million in Q4 2025.
Goldman Sachs has estimated that superfans could generate an additional USD $4.3 billion in annual revenue for the recorded music industry.
“While music and fans remain at the core and utmost priority, the new vision encapsulates our commitment to advancing the industry by incorporating necessary technology to expand the boundaries of the fan experience.”
HYBE
HYBE has also updated its vision, which now reads: “Global Entertainment Lifestyle Platform Company Based on Music and Technology.”
The addition of “technology” is deliberate. HYBE said the word reflects its intent to “expand the boundaries of the fan experience” through technology.
“While music and fans remain at the core and utmost priority, the new vision encapsulates our commitment to advancing the industry by incorporating necessary technology to expand the boundaries of the fan experience,” HYBE said.
HYBE unveiled its HYBE 2.0 strategy in August 2024, which reorganized the company into three business pillars: music, platform, and technology-driven growth.
Additionally, on Wednesday, HYBE tweaked its corporate identity.
Previously, the company used its wordmark, symbol, and mission statement together. Going forward, the wordmark “HYBE” and the symbol “H” will be used independently, reflecting its expanded business structure, its mid- to long-term growth strategy, and its positioning as a global IP-based company.
HYBE added: “This brand renewal reflects HYBE’s direction for new growth. Built on music and technology, HYBE will continue to expand fan experiences, create new possibilities, and help define what’s next for the global entertainment industry.”
HYBE recently reported strong Q1 earnings, with revenue surging 39.5% YoY to 698.3 billion South Korean won (approximately USD $477 million).
“This brand renewal reflects HYBE’s direction for new growth. Built on music and technology, HYBE will continue to expand fan experiences, create new possibilities, and help define what’s next for the global entertainment industry.”
HYBE
Revenue from HYBE’s recorded music segment soared 98.9% YoY to 271.5 billion won ($185m), driven by BTS‘s fifth studio album, ARIRANG, which was released on March 20, the group’s first studio album in nearly six years.
ARIRANG debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, with BTS becoming, according to HYBE, the first K-pop act to top that chart for three consecutive weeks. Lead track SWIM entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No.1, marking the group’s seventh chart-topper.
HYBE said in April that BTS’s “comeback further reinforced the group’s status as one of the defining acts in global pop and demonstrated its long-term touring power, strengthening HYBE’s revenue visibility through large-scale global touring and fan engagement.”
In addition to its acts at home, HYBE also continues to export the K-pop methodology to more markets. Last month, HYBE launched nationwide auditions in India in search of a new girl group.
After the success of KATSEYE, HYBE’s first Western girl group formed through a partnership with Universal Music Group‘s Geffen Records, the HYBE-Geffen alliance launched another talent search for a second girl group, which kicked off in Japan last year. Three contestants from the 2023 Dream Academy, which produced KATSEYE, were confirmed as members of the unnamed group.
That search, aired through the survival program World Scout: The Final Piece, narrowed its contestants down to two finalists last week ahead of its finale, according to The Korea Herald.
Elsewhere on Friday (May 8), HYBE launched a new label called ABD, dedicated exclusively to girl group development, with plans to debut its first act in the second half of 2026.
The label’s name stands for “A Bold Dream,” and it will be led by Jiwon No, who previously served as Head of Artist Planning at PLEDIS, another HYBE subsidiary. Sung Soo Han, a master professional known as the producer behind artists like SEVENTEEN, After School, IZ*ONE, and TWS, will lead ABD’s overall production spanning music, concept and performance.
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