K-pop powerhouse unveils fresh acts while testing new markets with US and Latin American training and audition projects
Hybe is doubling down on its global expansion strategy — not just through multinational K-pop groups, but also with new local projects aimed at replicating the success of BTS.
With its first international girl group Katseye slowly gaining traction, the K-pop powerhouse is preparing to introduce three more global acts: two boy bands and another girl group. At the same time, Hybe is turning heads with the debut of Cortis, a new boy group under Big Hit Music, a Hybe subsidiary.
Cortis aims for global debut impact
Set to debut Monday, Cortis has already made a bold statement by shooting its concept photos and music video in Los Angeles. The group is also holding events in both Seoul and Los Angeles to commemorate the release of its lead single “What You Want” from the upcoming EP “Color Outside the Lines,” set for early September release. The events include giving out 1,000 ice creams a day to fans in Santa Monica, California, on Aug. 23, with the same event having taken place in Yongsan, Seoul, Saturday and Sunday.
“It is highly uncommon for a rookie group to hold offline debut events in two countries,” Big Hit Music said Friday in a statement, highlighting Cortis’ early push for international exposure. Los Angeles holds special significance for the group, as the members spent three months there last year working on their album.
Cortis consists of five members: leader Martin, a Korean Canadian; James from Hong Kong; and three Korean members — Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho. According to Big Hit, this is the first Hybe-affiliated K-pop group with a foreign passport holder serving as leader.
The debut comes as Big Hit Music’s first new boy group launch in more than six years, underscoring the company’s high expectations for Cortis to follow in BTS’ global footsteps.
Katseye proves global appeal
Katseye — Hybe’s flagship global girl group formed in partnership with Geffen Records — is proving skeptics wrong. Initially met with doubts when it debuted in June 2024, the multinational act has recorded notable achievements on the international stage.
As of Aug. 13, Katseye’s monthly active listeners on Spotify reached 25.17 million, ranking just behind BTS, Blackpink and Twice among K-pop groups. Their track “Gabriela” from the second EP “Beautiful Chaos” climbed 20 spots to No. 77 on the UK Official Singles Chart, marking six consecutive weeks on the chart. The EP also peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in July, while both tracks “Gnarly” and “Gabriela” entered the Billboard Hot 100.
Building on Katseye’s success as a “next-generation pop icon,” Hybe and Geffen Records are now preparing a second multinational girl group. The two companies, on Aug. 7, announced the launch of “World Scout: The Final Piece,” a large-scale audition program in Japan.
Successful candidates will undergo Hybe and Geffen’s US-style K-pop training program from October to December, before joining an American training camp. After a series of evaluations, the finalists will form a new group set to debut next year.
Hybe turns to Latin America
Hybe is also expanding aggressively into Latin America.
Hybe Latin America, on Friday, premiered Santos Bravos, a reality audition series on YouTube that will form a new boy band of the same name. The show brings together 16 contestants from across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Spain and the US, combining Hybe’s systematic training system with Latin America’s distinct cultural identity.
“This project will showcase the challenges and growth of participants, collaborations with guest artists and the creation of cultural moments to global audiences,” Hybe Latin America said. “We aim to connect music, culture and community beyond borders.”
The company has already tested the waters with “Pase a la Fama,” Latin America’s first band-audition program co-produced with Mexico’s Telemundo. The show, which launched in June, topped US Spanish-language TV ratings in its time slot and drew 688,000 viewers for its premiere, according to Nielsen.
Isaac Lee, CEO of Hybe America, emphasized the importance of Hybe founder Bang Si-hyuk’s vision in guiding these efforts.
“This project, rooted in local culture yet viewed through a global lens, has opened a new future for Latin music,” Lee said.
