BTS's Jimin, Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together, and Others Drive HYBE's Impressive First Half of 2023

PLEDIS ENTERTAINMENT

During the first half of 2023, a staggering 40 percent of all K-pop albums sold were credited to six acts under the HYBE umbrella, solidifying the company's dominance in the industry. BTS's Jimin, Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together, Enhypen, Le Sserafim, and NewJeans collectively accounted for 22 million album sales out of a total of 55 million copies sold, according to music sales tracker Circle Chart.

The success of these six teams is notable as each is signed to individual music labels under the HYBE conglomerate. Jimin's globally renowned BTS and Tomorrow X Together are managed by BigHit Music, Seventeen is under Pledis Entertainment, Enhypen belongs to Belift Lab, Le Sserafim is signed with Source Music, and NewJeans is represented by ADOR.

Among these artists, Seventeen made a significant impact, selling a remarkable 8.9 million albums during the aforementioned period. This figure encompasses sales from their 2023 album "FML" as well as their extensive catalog of past releases.

Furthermore, girl groups emerged prominently in terms of online streams and downloads, with NewJeans and Le Sserafim dominating five out of the top 10 most popular digital songs. NewJeans' hits such as "Ditto" (2022), "OMG," and "Hype boy" (2022) secured the top three spots for the most-streamed and downloaded songs in the first half of 2023, as reported by Circle Chart. Additionally, NewJeans' debut track "Attention" (2022) claimed the seventh spot, while Les Sserafim's "Antifragile" (2022) ranked at number nine.

HYBE attributes its remarkable success to its multi-label system, a strategic approach that involves acquiring smaller K-pop agencies and granting them the autonomy to pursue their unique musical styles with the support of a larger framework.

"The excellent result comes from the power of HYBE's multi-label strategy," the company stated in a press release. It further emphasized, "HYBE enables labels to maintain absolute independence, fostering the birth of exceptional content. This approach has allowed our labels, including BigHit Music, Pledis Entertainment, Belift Lab, Source Music, ADOR, and KOZ Entertainment, to unleash their creative potential and deliver high-quality music to K-pop enthusiasts."

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Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com