Big Hit Entertainment name change aimed at emphasizing music label

K-pop

Published: 19 Mar. 2021, 15:16

Big Hit Entertainment name change aimed at emphasizing music label

HYBE's new headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul. [BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT]

Big Hit Entertainment is officially changing its name to HYBE to put emphasis on its main priority — music.

“The identity of Big Hit Entertainment will live on as ‘Big Hit Music’ as a label that makes up HYBE,” Big Hit chief executive Bang Si-hyuk assured the public during an online presentation via YouTube on Friday. “I believe that it will strengthen our fundamental capabilities as a label, that are music production, artist management and fan communication, [which are] the attitude and standards that formed the bedrock that make HYBE what it is today.”

HYBE constitutes of three business sectors-- label, solutions and platforms to focus more on their respective purposes. [BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT]

Under HYBE, three business units will exist — HYBE Labels, HYBE Solutions and HYBE Platforms. HYBE Labels includes Big Hit Music, Belift Lab, Source Music, Pledis Entertainment, Koz Entertainment and HYBE Labels Japan. Each label will maintain its independence and continue to care for their associated artists as they did before.

HYBE Solutions and HYBE Platforms will be merchandizing secondary business stemming from the label’s creative output, such as related Intellectual Property and fan community Weverse.

HYBE's symbol [BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT]

Under its new brand HYBE, the company strives to become “the world’s best music-based entertainment lifestyle platform company.” It also released its new symbol which correlates with its belief system. Visually, the one straight line between two vertical lines symbolizes “connection, expansion and relationships” which is the core belief of HYBE — to connect, move people’s hearts and positively impact listeners with music.

Chief brand officer Min Hee-jin took viewers on a virtual tour of the company’s new headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul. The production facilities to create music and entertainment content will be located on the first six floors.

With the shareholder’s approval on March 30, Big Hit Entertainment behind the birth of the global K-pop phenomenon BTS will be changed to HYBE.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]