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HYBE

하이브

The company that BTS built. Big Hit Entertainment became HYBE in 2021 and grew into a family of labels, each with its own groups.

Founded
February 2005, as Big Hit Entertainment
Founder
Bang Si-hyuk, now chairman
Name HYBE
Since March 2021
Headquarters
Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Stock market
KOSPI, since 15 October 2020: the first Korean entertainment company there
CEO
Lee Jae-sang, since 2024

Bang Si-hyuk, a songwriter and producer, set up Big Hit Entertainment in 2005. For years it was a small company. That changed with BTS, who debuted in 2013 and became the biggest group in K-pop. In 2020 the company went on the stock market, and in 2021 it took the name HYBE and moved into a new building in Yongsan.

What makes HYBE different is its system of labels. Instead of one company with many groups, each label has its own groups and keeps its own management. HYBE bought SOURCE MUSIC in 2019, PLEDIS Entertainment and KOZ Entertainment in 2020, started ADOR in 2021 and took full ownership of BELIFT LAB in 2023. BTS, TXT and CORTIS stay at BIGHIT MUSIC, the label the company grew from.

HYBE also looks far beyond Korea. In 2021 it bought Ithaca Holdings in the United States, the company of manager Scooter Braun. With Geffen Records it formed KATSEYE, and in Japan the label YX LABELS manages &TEAM. The fan platform Weverse, where many groups post their notices, also started at HYBE.

With HYBE now 20

The labels

  • BIGHIT MUSICThe original Big Hit, home of BTS, TXT and CORTIS. A separate label since 2021.
  • PLEDIS EntertainmentSEVENTEEN and TWS. Part of HYBE since 2020.
  • SOURCE MUSICHome of LE SSERAFIM, and of GFRIEND until 2021. Part of HYBE since 2019.
  • BELIFT LABENHYPEN and ILLIT. Started in 2018 with CJ ENM, fully HYBE since 2023.
  • KOZ EntertainmentFounded by ZICO, home of BOYNEXTDOOR. Part of HYBE since 2020.
  • ADORStarted by HYBE in 2021, the label of NewJeans.
  • YX LABELSIn Tokyo, the label of &TEAM. Called HYBE LABELS JAPAN until February 2025.
  • HYBE America and HYBE x GeffenThe American side: Ithaca Holdings since 2021, and KATSEYE with Geffen Records.

Before, at HYBE 4

Sources: Wikipedia: HYBE, The Korea Herald: Big Hit becomes HYBE, Korea JoongAng Daily: new headquarters in Yongsan, KED Global: KOSPI listing, The Korea Herald: new CEO, Korea JoongAng Daily: the PLEDIS deal, Korea JoongAng Daily: BELIFT LAB fully HYBE, Music Business Worldwide: Ithaca Holdings, The Korea Times: YX LABELS. Last checked 28 October 2026. Only the groups and artists that have a page on this site are listed.