HYBE achieved sales exceeding 500 billion won in the first quarter, traditionally considered an off-season for the entertainment industry. This marks the highest quarterly performance since its establishment. Thanks to the steady growth of HYBE Music Group artists, sales showed an increase of approximately 40% compared to the same period last year.

HYBE noted on the 29th that it recorded consolidated revenue of 500.6 billion won in the first quarter of 2025, a 39% increase compared to the same period last year. Traditionally, the first quarter is a time when artists conclude year-end activities and prepare for new albums and projects, resulting in relatively few new releases and content. However, in the first quarter of this year, many HYBE Music Group artists, including BTS's J-Hope, SEVENTEEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, and BOYNEXTDOOR, conducted world tours and solo tours, significantly boosting revenue. As the teams that have grown to handle world tours increased, sales expanded.

Direct revenue, including album sales and concerts, reached 322.5 billion won, accounting for about 64% of total revenue. While the album sales segment showed a slight decline compared to the same period last year, concert revenue soared to 155.2 billion won, increasing more than threefold during the same period due to the enthusiastic response to artists' world tours.

Indirect revenue from MD and licensing, content, and fan clubs amounted to 178.1 billion won, representing about 36% of total revenue. The MD and licensing segment, which accounted for the largest share of indirect revenue, increased by 75% from 60.7 billion won in the same period last year to approximately 106.4 billion won this quarter. Tour-related merchandise has received love from fans globally, and character products inspired by HYBE Music Group artists' intellectual property, including SEVENTEEN's 'Mintin', TOMORROW X TOGETHER's 'B2B', LE SSERAFIM's 'Pims Club', and BOYNEXTDOOR's 'PNEKD', also contributed to revenue.

Operating profit also showed a rising trend. This year, the first quarter operating profit was reported at 21.6 billion won, an increase of approximately 50% compared to the same period last year.

The outlook for second quarter performance is also bright. Most HYBE Music Group artists are planning to resume activities along with album releases and start tours in the second quarter. BTS's Jin will return on May 16 with his second mini-album 'Echo' and will meet global fans through his first solo fan concert tour starting in June. SEVENTEEN will return with their first regular album in three years on May 26, the 10th anniversary of their debut. Additionally, ENHYPEN, who showcased an overwhelming performance at Coachella, plans to present a new album in June. LE SSERAFIM will reach out to fans in Japan, Asia, and North America through their first world tour 'EASY CRAZY HOT'. BOYNEXTDOOR, who has been setting career highs with each album, will continue their growth with their fourth mini-album 'No Genre'. The global girl group KATSEYE will release their new single 'Gnarly' on the 30th.

New artists are also preparing to debut. A seven-member boy group 'aoen,' selected through the Japanese Nihon TV program 'Support-HIGH ~Dream's START LINE~,' is set to officially debut in Japan on June 11. During the program's airing period, aoen received positive responses from the local audience and solidified their fan base.

Big Hit Music will introduce a new boy group in the third quarter. This team will be a next-generation creator crew expressing themselves in a completely new way, characterized by creating not only music but also choreography and videos. They have demonstrated their creative abilities by participating in the music and performance production of HYBE's senior artists since last year.

[Photo] HYBE

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