Latest news with #Hybe
Korea Herald
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
K-pop in pixels: Collaborations between K-pop and games grow
Gaming industries' desire to be included in the cultural landscape and K-pop's narrative appeal drive ongoing collaborations From blockbuster franchises to chart-topping idols, gaming and K-pop are increasingly joining forces, as the two converge in a bid to tap into the country's most lucrative entertainment sectors and elevate gaming as a legitimate cultural force. On June 13, Japanese video game company Capcom teased fans with an image titled 'aespa X Street Fighter 6,' shared across the official Street Fighter and Capcom channels. While no additional details were released, the announcement follows online leaks and speculation. The hint emerged through an in-game discovery, where fans spotted an outfit featuring aespa's logo. Although Capcom quickly patched the item out, the official reveal signals that more details are on their way. Meanwhile, Epic Games is teaming up with Hybe for a new Fortnite collaboration. As of June 11, the battle royale's in-game soundtrack includes tracks by Hybe artists, including BTS members Jungkook and Jimin, as well as Enhypen and illit. Players can remix or perform the songs within the game. Epic Games further announced that starting Saturday, the Son Heung-min bundle will drop in Fortnite, allowing players to channel the Premier League star's signature goal celebration pose with themed emotes and gear. Popular American video game developer Blizzard has also been delving deeper into the world of K-pop. In March, Overwatch 2 launched its second collaboration with Le Sserafim, introducing new character skins and a livestream event with the group. The partnership builds on a successful 2023 team-up, which included a custom game mode and skins inspired by the group's hit track 'Antifragile.' Le Sserafim also became the first K-pop act to perform at 2023 BlizzCon, an annual gaming convention held by Blizzard, taking to the stage with their English-language single 'Perfect Night." The hit track, which was produced in collaboration with Overwatch 2, has logged more than 125 million views on YouTube as of Friday. Korean video game publisher Krafton jumped on the bandwagon in March, partnering with YG's girl group Babymonster to mark the 7th anniversary of Battlegrounds Mobile. The limited-time crossover featured themed rewards, emotes choreographed to their single 'Drip' and immersive content such as in-game photo zones. Players could also listen to Babymonster's music while battling on maps like Erangel and Rondo. The growing number of K-pop and gaming crossovers reflects a mutual strategy. For games companies, it's a way to broaden their reach beyond traditional players and lure in a new demographic. Pop culture critics add that gaming companies can also look to shed their subculture image through such collaborations. 'While games have undoubtedly become part of modern culture, public perception still lags behind. Collaborating with mainstream cultural forces such as K-pop allows games to naturally embed themselves into the cultural fabric," said pop culture critic Jung Duk-hyun. For the K-pop industry, the narrative-building potential is a major draw, Jung explained. 'Idol groups have their own lore and well-developed characters, just like video games. That makes crossovers rich with storytelling possibilities.' Financial incentives also loom large. 'People often assume other content sectors are more profitable, but gaming eclipses them all (in Korea),' Jung said. 'For the K-pop side, if there's a way to bring gamers into the fan ecosystem, there's no reason not to pursue it.'
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
BTS members complete military service, hinting at a spectacular reunion
Two more BTS members were released from South Korean military service on June 11, bringing the K-pop supergroup closer to a reunion as they promised fans a "better version" of themselves soon. K-pop powerhouse BTS members are all set to finish their military service by the end of this month and a reunion is being hinted at. Earlier this month, RM and V completed their military service and were greeted by jubilant fans at the Hybe headquarters in central Seoul. South Korea mandates approximately two years of military service for all able-bodied men between 18 and 28 as a defense measure against North Korea. Fans greeted members of the popular boy band at their military base, where the band members saluted the crowd and hinted at an upcoming "really cool performance" upon their return. Addressing both the media and their fans (ARMY), V expressed deep gratitude for their patience during their military service, promising a spectacular comeback performance.
![[Exclusive] BTS come back in March, Hybe source confirms](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F06%2F18%2Fnews-p.v1.20250618.0c5728521fd1414a9a24311766c68c18_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
[Exclusive] BTS come back in March, Hybe source confirms
Group to return with labelmate Tomorrow X Together in mid-March, according to another source BTS is set to make its long-awaited full-group comeback in March next year, multiple industry sources confirmed to The Korea Herald, including a source at Hybe. With all seven members completing their mandatory 18-month military service by this weekend — Suga is scheduled for discharge on Saturday — speculation has been mounting among fans and the wider K-pop industry over when the group would reunite and resume full-scale activities. 'BTS' comeback date is set for March next year,' a Hybe official confirmed through The Korea Herald's source recently. Two additional sources based overseas also said the biggest K-pop act in history is preparing to return as a full group early next year. 'While the exact date is unknown, I think it will be mid-March. I heard BTS is returning in the same month as their brother group Tomorrow X Together,' one source told The Korea Herald. 'It could be BTS first, then TXT — or the other way around.' Another source said that Enhypen, a boy group under Belift Lab, had initially planned its comeback for March, but moved it to January to avoid overlapping with BTS' return. Belift Lab is a Hybe subsidiary under its multilabel system along with Big Hit Music, which manages BTS. Big Hit Music could not confirm the date as of press time. While March may seem distant, Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang previously signaled a longer timeline during the company's shareholder meeting in March this year. He stated that the BTS members would need time for preparation and creative work after their military discharge. 'We're preparing alongside top-tier producers, but the artists also need time to reflect and prepare,' Lee said. Meanwhile, Jin is scheduled to kick off his solo fan concert tour 'Runseokjin_EP.Tour' starting June 28-29 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The tour will take him to nine cities, including Chiba and Osaka in Japan, Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa and Newark in the US, as well as London and Amsterdam, with 18 shows planned through Aug. 10 — making a BTS comeback this year unlikely. However, industry insiders see a possibility of a prerelease single or other project dropping before the group's official return.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Katseye to return with Latin-inspired sound
Multinational girl group to drop second prerelease single ahead of EP Katseye, a multinational girl group of Hybe and Geffen Records, is set to reveal a bold new side with a Latin-infused concept. The group recently unveiled a teaser for its upcoming single 'Gabriela' through official social media accounts. The track blends pop sounds with a warm acoustic guitar melody, influenced by Latin sensibilities, paired with dramatic storytelling centered on the emotional highs and lows of love. The prerelease track and music video will be released June 20. In the teaser video, the members appear with voluminous retro-inspired wavy hairstyles, sensual black outfits and dazzling lighting, evoking the mood of telenovelas, or classic Latin TV dramas. It marks a striking visual and stylistic shift from the funky, rebellious energy of the group's recent release, 'Gnarly,' released April 30. Katseye will release its second EP 'Beautiful Chaos' on June 27, featuring both 'Gnarly' and 'Gabriela.' The album will include five tracks in total and will serve as a definitive statement of the group's identity and artistic direction, according to Hybe and Geffen Records.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
BTS' agency to debut new boy group in August
Big Hit Music confirms third-quarter launch with a five-member act co-produced by Hybe chair Bang Si-hyuk Big Hit Music, the K-pop agency behind BTS and a music label under Hybe, is expected to debut a new boy group in August, according to local media reports Tuesday. In a statement to The Korea Herald on Tuesday, Big Hit Music said, 'We are currently preparing for the debut of a new boy group in the third quarter of this year. Details regarding the debut date will be announced officially at a later time.' While the agency did not confirm the August timeline, it did not deny it either — hinting that the report is likely accurate. During a Hybe conference call in April, CEO Lee Jae-sang stated that Big Hit Music plans to launch a five-member boy group in the third quarter. 'Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has been deeply involved in content production. The team will present innovative music that goes beyond the conventional evolution of K-pop boy groups and highlights a unique identity,' Lee said. Hybe also shared that the group will function as a next-generation 'creator crew,' not only performing but also producing their own music, choreography and video content — showcasing a new level of self-expression and creative autonomy. The upcoming act will be Big Hit Music's first new boy group in six years, following Tomorrow X Together, and the first new boy group under Hybe since TWS, who debuted under Pledis Entertainment about a year and a half ago. Big Hit Music has achieved global success with BTS, who debuted in 2013, and Tomorrow X Together, who followed in 2019. With the upcoming group marking the label's third boy band, expectations are high from both fans and the industry, even before their official debut.
