BTS's producer lands on Billboard's 2020 Indie Power Players list

K-pop

Published: 16 Jun. 2020, 16:36

BTS's producer lands on Billboard's 2020 Indie Power Players list

Bang Si-hyuk, CEO of Big Hit Entertainment [BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT]

Bang Si-hyuk, producer of boy band BTS and executive producer of Big Hit Entertainment, has been listed as one of Billboard's 2020 Indie Power Players on Monday, for the mega success of K-pop's biggest boy band BTS.

"Multiplatinum albums, a global stadium tour, an army of fans — BTS has achieved it all with Bang’s independent Big Hit Entertainment," wrote Billboard.

Billboard applauded BTS for landing atop the Billboard 200 in March with its recent full-length album, "Map of the Soul: 7," two months after performing at the 62nd Grammy Awards, as well as the fact that the agency's own fan community platform Weverse also managed to attract 5 million subscribers by servicing various merchandise and content.

"Big Hit reports $507.9 million in revenue in 2019, a 95 percent increase over its (as yet unaudited) 2018 numbers, and Bang is now expanding beyond music."

Billboard's list of Indie Power Players began in 2017, honoring labels and its leaders who managed to make successful international market achievements without the help of the three top U.S. music labels — Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.

Bang was awarded along with Disney Music Group's President Ken Bunt and Jacqueline Saturn, President of Capitol Music Group's indie label services division Caroline which signed a partnership with Korean entertainment agency SM Entertainment.

“We achieved such growth without relying on pre-existing systems," Bang told Billboard.

"Solely focusing on content and fans and our vision — this is the ‘independence’ and driving force of Big Hit.”

Bang was listed as one of billboard's International Power Players in 2018 and 2019, as well as on Variety's list of International Music Leaders in 2018 and 2019.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]