The global girl group KATSEYE, formed by HYBE and Geffen Records, has broken into the U.S. Billboard main song chart 'Hot 100.' This achievement follows their entry into the UK official single 'Top 100,' considered one of the two major charts in the world.

According to the latest Billboard chart announced on 13th (local time), KATSEYE's digital single 'Gnarly' has debuted at 92nd on this week's 'Hot 100.'

The song has also stood out on the Billboard global chart, ranking 39th on the 'Global (excluding the U.S.)' chart and 47th on the 'Global 200.' Thanks to this popularity, KATSEYE has re-entered the 'Emerging Artist' chart at 11th.

'Gnarly' previously ranked 52nd on the UK official 'Single Top 100' (for the week of May 9-15), hinting at a sensation in the mainstream pop market. It was also ranked 60th on the world's largest music streaming platform Spotify's 'Weekly Top Song Global' (for the period of May 2-8), building anticipation.

KATSEYE expressed, "This moment feels unreal and overwhelming. Having our name on the Billboard 'Hot 100' is like a dream for us." They added, "We have worked really hard, and this result shows that effort and passion do bear fruit. We hope our journey can inspire every girl and boy striving for bigger dreams, even just a little bit."

The power of performance and strategy that changed the flow instantly

'Gnarly' is a song that combines dance and punk elements in the hyper-pop genre. After its release on the 30th of last month, it received much praise for its bold and experimental sound, although there were also some responses indicating it felt unfamiliar.

HYBE and Geffen Records were not caught off guard by this. 'Gnarly' was already secured during the preparation stage for KATSEYE's debut EP, but there were some concerns that it might be an early challenge for them. However, at that time, under the leadership of Bang Si-hyuk, the producer and other creatives closely collaborated to complete the current track, which is based on a powerful performance.

HxG's chief creative producer, Jeong Hyun, noted, "We aimed to prepare KATSEYE to exude their aura as artists on stage and deliver explosive performances," adding, "During the recording process, we made various attempts to capture KATSEYE's unique colors while not compromising the song's distinctiveness."

To best express this, KATSEYE chose the Korean music broadcast stage, which proved effective. Their overwhelming stage, based on bold music, stunning styling, and powerful performances, captivated global fans.

Videos of KATSEYE's stages on Mnet's 'M Countdown,' KBS2's 'Music Bank,' MBC's 'Show! Music Core,' and SBS's 'Inkigayo' spread rapidly among global music fans through word of mouth and across various social media platforms. The performance video of 'Gnarly' posted on M2's 'Studio Dance' channel has already surpassed 7.79 million views on YouTube.

The combination of attempts that break existing molds, strategies that maximize the inherent capabilities of the artists, and the remarkable growth of the six members has borne fruit. HYBE and Geffen Records said, "The stage that could most effectively implement the new music, concept, visuals, and performances was in Korea, and that strategic choice was effective."

HYBE's 'K-pop globalization' experiment has succeeded

The background of KATSEYE's success lies in HYBE's nurturing and production system that has transformed K-pop into a global cultural content. This aligns with the philosophy of Bang Si-hyuk, who has stated, "I want to expand the scope of K-pop and contribute to its sustainability."

KATSEYE was selected through the global audition project 'Dream Academy' and went through performance, vocal, and teamwork training based on Korean-style training. They applied the so-called 'K-pop methodology' while flexibly localizing the concept and communication for the U.S. market.

There are structural differences between the music industries in the U.S. and Korea. Korean agencies scout talented individuals and develop them into artists through systematic training in music, dance, and stage manners. In the U.S., there is almost no trainee system, and record labels typically contract already grown artists to focus on marketing and distribution.

It was uncertain whether the 'K-pop DNA' could be adapted to the culturally different U.S. market. However, HYBE succeeded in transplanting the K-pop production system, the T&D Center, to the U.S. to transfer and optimize the artist nurturing system. This led to the birth of KATSEYE, which has emerged as a symbolic team proving the global applicability of the K-pop system while continuing stable activities.

[Photo] HYBE Labels

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