MBW’s World Leaders is a daily collection during which we flip the highlight towards a few of the most influential trade figures overseeing key worldwide markets. On this function, we converse to Tae-Ho Kim, Chief Working Officer of HYBE and President of BELIFT LAB, the place he leads the groups behind Okay-Pop teams ENHYPEN and ILLIT. World Leaders is supported by SoundExchange.
Okay-Pop stars ENHYPEN are not any strangers to massive milestones.
The group, which was fashioned by way of HYBE’s international audition program I-LAND and debuted by way of HYBE-owned BELIFT Lab in 2020, grew to become the quickest Okay-Pop boy group to surpass three billion streams on Spotify, in response to their label.
Lower than 5 years after their debut (in the course of the pandemic), they’ve grow to be a worldwide phenomenon. HYBE says that, with practically 10 million month-to-month listeners on Spotify and over 25 million followers on TikTok, they’re now the “third-most influential” Okay-Pop artist on social media. They’ve additionally claimed the place of sixth most considered artist on TikTok globally, and third most considered on the platform in Okay-pop.
ENHYPEN’s album gross sales success tells an equally spectacular story. ORANGE BLOOD (2023) and ROMANCE : UNTOLD (2024) hit No.4 and No.2 on the Billboard 200, respectively, with 1.87 million and 2.34 million first-week gross sales.
The group’s fan engagement ranges are additionally outstanding. ENHYPEN hosted 220 livestreams on Weverse – HYBE’s proprietary superfan platform – final 12 months, amassing 87 million real-time views and 137 million cumulative views, the very best amongst all artists on the platform. They had been additionally probably the most energetic artist on Weverse by feedback final 12 months.
This weekend marks the group’s newest main achievement – their debut efficiency at Coachella.
For Taeho Kim, President of BELIFT LAB and Chief Working Officer of South Korea-born leisure big HYBE – ENHYPEN’s Coachella look represents a crowning achievement that validates his artist growth philosophy.
“Since ENHYPEN debuted in late 2020, they’ve constantly grown, steadily increasing their international album gross sales and the dimensions of their excursions,” he tells us.
“I imagine that Coachella might be a defining second that reveals simply how far they’ve come previously 4 years, evolving into unbelievable artists. For BELIFT LAB, as a crew that has supported ENHYPEN’s journey all through the years, this second is each a celebration of how far we’ve come and an opportunity to consider the brand new objectives and challenges we wish to tackle transferring ahead.”
“BELIFT LAB’s focus goes past simply attaining success, as we’re dedicated to sharing these experiences and insights throughout HYBE.”
Kim’s personal journey with HYBE started in 2016 when he was appointed as an outdoor director for what was then Huge Hit Leisure. By 2018, he had joined forces with Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk to ascertain BELIFT LAB, a three way partnership between Huge Hit and CJ ENM that may later grow to be a fully-owned HYBE subsidiary.
“I took on the position of Chief Technique Officer at HYBE to construct a stronger organizational construction whereas concurrently persevering with to guide BELIFT LAB,” Kim explains.
BELIFT LAB has continued to make its mark on the worldwide music trade beneath Kim’s management. Along with ENHYPEN, Kim leads the crew behind ‘rookie’ lady group ILLIT, which made what he describes as “one of the vital spectacular debuts in Okay-pop historical past,” changing into the primary and up to now solely Okay-pop lady group to enter the Billboard Scorching 100 with their debut single, Magnetic.
As he explains in our wide-ranging interview beneath, Kim attributes BELIFT LAB’s success to its give attention to “connecting [its] artists’ content material to the followers.”
This fan-centric method extends all through HYBE’s ecosystem, Kim notes, and notably by way of Weverse, the place ENHYPEN boast the second-largest artist neighborhood on the platform after HYBE’s flagship act BTS.
Wanting forward, Kim sees each challenges and alternatives within the globalization of fandom-based companies like Okay-Pop.
“Okay-pop wants tailor-made IP methods that resonate with every area’s tradition, language, and feelings,” he says.
And regardless of BELIFT LAB’s varied business wins, Kim’s final objective transcends enterprise metrics: “My major focus is cultivating ‘glad artists,’” he says.
“Life within the highlight is complicated; offering unwavering help for his or her aspirations and translating that into musical and business success is essential. In the long run, my job is to facilitate the mutual development of each the artists and the label.”
Right here, Taeho Kim tells us extra about his profession within the music trade, what differentiates BELIFT Lab from different Okay-Pop labels, and what the worldwide music enterprise can be taught from Okay-Pop’s method to superfans…
Are you able to please inform our readers about your journey to changing into the President of BELIFT LAB and COO of HYBE?
I first crossed paths with Chairman Bang [pictured] whereas I used to be serving as a advertising and marketing govt at JYP Leisure, which was then a subsidiary of Daum (now often called Kakao). In 2016, I used to be appointed as an outdoor director of Huge Hit Leisure (now rebranded as HYBE), the place I had many alternatives to take a seat down with him to have candid conversations on the way forward for Okay-pop.
By 2018, he was exploring the thought of mixing varied media channels with the exact music manufacturing mechanisms that led to BTS’ success, and the three way partnership between Huge Hit and CJ ENM was a method to actualize this imaginative and prescient. That’s after I got here on board as the top of that Joint Enterprise, which finally grew to become BELIFT LAB.
After we established BELIFT LAB, we labored on I-LAND, the audition present that led to ENHYPEN’s debut. In March 2019, following Chairman Bang’s request, I took on the position of Chief Technique Officer at HYBE to construct a stronger organizational construction whereas concurrently persevering with to guide BELIFT LAB. As a facet observe, in 2023, HYBE acquired each CJ ENM’s and my shares in BELIFT LAB, making it a fully-owned subsidiary of HYBE.
May you give us an outline of your broader remit inside the wider HYBE group?
Because the President of BELIFT LAB, I’m accountable for setting the ideas, market positioning, and development methods for each ENHYPEN and ILLIT. Because of this I oversee each side of their journey, from defining their musical path and conceptualizing music movies to creating the ultimate choices on key elements of the enterprise, together with dwell performances, enterprise methods, and advertising and marketing initiatives. My focus is on guiding our artists in the direction of sustainable, significant success within the international music panorama, making certain that the work we do at BELIFT LAB is aligned with their creative imaginative and prescient and long-term development.
“My focus is on guiding our artists in the direction of sustainable, significant success within the international music panorama, making certain that the work we do at BELIFT LAB is aligned with their creative imaginative and prescient and long-term development.”
Because the COO of HYBE, I oversee the corporate’s general enterprise operations. A few of these embrace planning and producing high-quality offline and on-line concert events for HYBE artists (360), providing unique fan experiences by way of model collaborations (IPX), and licensing, limited-edition merchandise, and the in-house manufacturing and distribution of authentic video content material based mostly on followers and artists (HYBE MEDIA STUDIO).
Taking up each roles is just potential as a result of I work with wonderful groups. I actually imagine that HYBE has a few of the finest expertise on this planet. Being the top of a label additionally supplies a novel benefit in shaping and driving HYBE’s imaginative and prescient for innovation within the music trade. By our artists ENHYPEN and ILLIT, BELIFT LAB has pioneered groundbreaking enterprise methods and buyer experiences that no different firm or label has ever tried.
What management methods have been most vital to your success in launching and creating international Okay-pop acts like ENHYPEN and ILLIT?
All of it comes all the way down to how we join our artists’ content material to the followers. I see my position as connecting with the enterprise facet, constructing and managing key relationships behind the scenes whereas leveraging varied media platforms to keep up communication with followers. It’s about orchestrating all these transferring elements to create the proper atmosphere the place our artists can really thrive, repeatedly evolving in an area that nurtures their development and creativity.
Who’re the trade leaders or mentors who’ve most affected your profession?
Chairman Bang has repeatedly actualized his dream of revolutionizing not simply Okay-pop, however your entire international music trade. It’s an extremely tough feat for one of many world’s prime music producers to guide one of many largest leisure firms, however he’s doing it higher than anybody else. Having the privilege to work alongside him for nearly a decade has been an unbelievable alternative, and it’s inspiring to consistently witness his imaginative and prescient come to life.
The Okay-pop trade is extremely aggressive. How does BELIFT LAB differentiate itself available in the market?
Whereas we’ve taken a novel method by debuting our artists by way of audition packages, our dedication to artist happiness and long-term well-being really units us aside.
We imagine that true artist happiness requires extra than simply superficial care; it calls for a profound give attention to their development, particularly these discovering fame younger. Remaining grounded and evolving into wholesome, well-rounded, unbiased, and self-aware people is paramount. Finally, it’s at all times in regards to the folks with regards to Okay-pop.
How do you see BELIFT LAB positioned inside HYBE right now, and the way is HYBE positioned inside the international music trade?
Given my twin position because the COO of HYBE, BELIFT LAB naturally takes the lead in exploring new ventures and improvements inside the firm. True to the phrase “LAB” in our title, we function like a startup — embracing the danger, and pushing the boundaries to drive innovation. We’re additionally distinctive in being the one label inside HYBE that manages each a boy group and a woman group. Given the distinct musical types and inventive approaches of every, efficiently managing each beneath one label is not any small problem.
BELIFT LAB’s focus goes past simply attaining success, as we’re dedicated to sharing these experiences and insights throughout HYBE. As a part of HYBE’s multi-label system, we work carefully with the opposite labels, drawing on one another’s distinctive strengths to create synergies. Wanting forward, my objective is to make sure sustainable development for each HYBE and BELIFT LAB.
How does BELIFT LAB’s artist growth mannequin differ from different labels globally?
BELIFT LAB’s artist growth mannequin stands out from different labels, notably in how a lot we worth the emotional connection between artists and followers. Each ENHYPEN [pictured] and ILLIT had been fashioned by way of audition packages, which allowed for shut communication with followers from the very starting.
One of many challenges with this mannequin, although, is sustaining development and curiosity after the debut. To beat this, we targeted on steady fan engagement, adapting ideas and pictures that replicate what followers need, whereas highlighting every member’s individuality. Moreover, we prioritize storytelling that’s centered across the artists’ feelings and life experiences, creating content material that followers can really join with.
What was the imaginative and prescient behind ENHYPEN, and the way did you method their preliminary idea and coaching?
Even earlier than their debut, ENHYPEN constructed a deep reference to international followers by way of the fan-vote-based audition program I-LAND. The objective was to create a way of possession for followers, making them really feel like “they took an energetic half in serving to the group debut,” which labored effectively. Voting passed off in over 130 areas and international locations, and by the point of their debut, over 2 million followers had already joined ENHYPEN’s Weverse neighborhood.
“Since then, we’ve strategically broadened their presence by embracing narrative-driven, character-focused storytelling that showcases the distinct personalities and charms of every member.”
Since then, we’ve strategically broadened their presence by embracing narrative-driven, character-focused storytelling that showcases the distinct personalities and charms of every member.
ENHYPEN not solely produced music and content material centered round a “romantic vampire-themed universe” but additionally grew to become the protagonists of Darkish Moon, an authentic webtoon collection that garnered over 100 million views globally. This collection even captured the eye of normal webtoon followers, making a constructive cycle of success. Because of this, an animation collection can be within the works.
What strategic parts contributed to ILLIT’s breakthrough debut?
ILLIT made one of the vital spectacular debuts in Okay-pop historical past with their debut mini-album SUPER REAL ME attaining unbelievable outcomes, together with a No.10 spot on the Billboard World Albums chart and No.15 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. Their title monitor Magnetic – produced by “hitman” Bang – entered the Billboard Scorching 100 at No.91, making it the primary debut tune to ever chart on the Scorching 100 in Okay-pop historical past.
However it’s not simply in regards to the music. ILLIT’s idea, with their “quirky but candy and relatable” allure, crammed a niche available in the market. BELIFT LAB’s inventive director, Serian Heu, performed a key position. Her imaginative and prescient for the group’s idea and styling, together with the enduring “model movies” which have grow to be a signature of ILLIT, had been essential in setting them aside. BELIFT LAB’s good market technique was important in positioning ILLIT to resonate deeply with the viewers.
How has the worldwide music panorama modified for Okay-pop teams since ENHYPEN’s debut?
ENHYPEN is a gaggle that debuted in the course of the center of the pandemic, which meant no offline fan actions, but it surely was additionally a time when digital fan tradition was actually taking off. They debuted by way of a worldwide audition, and the entire course of was all about followers from world wide getting concerned. This made ENHYPEN distinctive as a result of it wasn’t nearly getting consideration, it was about constructing a deep emotional reference to their followers proper from the very begin. That connection helped them develop rapidly into a worldwide artist with a robust fanbase, proper off the bat since their debut.
Apparently, ENHYPEN, regardless of being a Okay-pop group, boasts a a lot bigger worldwide fanbase than their home following in Korea, positioning them as a primary instance of a “international artist.”
Their success confirmed simply how necessary fan participation and connectedness are for a gaggle’s international development.
I actually imagine ENHYPEN has additionally helped pave the best way for different artists to attach with followers world wide in a significant method.
What are the largest challenges within the Okay-pop trade right now?
The Okay-pop trade has achieved unprecedented development over time, and as we glance forward, one of many massive challenges is determining create a sustainable development mannequin inside the music scene. The fandom-driven enterprise mannequin that after outlined Okay-pop is not distinctive to the style. Different industries like conventional leisure, sports activities, e-sports, and gaming are rapidly catching on.
As Okay-pop continues to develop globally, it’s changing into clear that fandoms have totally different tastes and expectations relying on the place they’re based mostly. Given emotional connection is changing into key, Okay-pop wants tailor-made IP methods that resonate with every area’s tradition, language, and feelings.
“The Okay-pop trade has achieved unprecedented development over time, and as we glance forward, one of many massive challenges is determining create a sustainable development mannequin inside the music scene.”
In the long term, if Okay-pop goes to remain a worldwide drive, it might probably’t simply be seen as a “Korean” cultural product, similar to Taekwondo. At HYBE, we’re working onerous to create a completely built-in fan expertise each on-line and offline, develop into various kinds of IP-based content material companies, and supply distinctive, tailor-made experiences for superfans. Concurrently, we’re additionally specializing in creating content material and IP that’s particularly tailor-made to native markets, permitting us to attach with followers on a deeper, extra significant stage across the globe.
The music trade may be very targeted on superfans currently – what methods have been only in constructing ENHYPEN’s international fanbase?
Connecting with their followers has at all times been a prime precedence for ENHYPEN and this energetic interplay has undoubtedly contributed to their international success. Ever since their debut, they’ve turned Weverse right into a key area for direct communication with their international followers.
Because of this, ENHYPEN had the very best engagement on Weverse, leaving the very best variety of replies to followers in response to Weverse’s World Fandom Report 2024. By 2024, their Weverse neighborhood had grown to over 10 million international followers, making it the second-largest artist neighborhood on the platform after BTS.
What can the worldwide music enterprise be taught from the Okay-pop trade with regards to superfans and fan tradition?
Whereas normal social media platforms are areas the place each passionate followers and normal customers share content material, catering to broader, public-facing engagement, superfan platforms like Weverse are crafted particularly to strengthen the connection between artists and their most devoted followers.
It creates an unique area for real-time engagement, the place artists can work together with followers worldwide in a number of languages, boosting satisfaction for each artists and followers. Though in-person conferences aren’t potential, followers really feel like they’re a part of the artists’ on a regular basis lives. This sense of intimacy and belonging is one thing that may be a key a part of the Okay-pop expertise, which cultivates a robust superfan base.
What particular methods have you ever employed to transform Okay-pop’s fanbase right into a scalable, revenue-generating ecosystem?
At HYBE, we’ve constructed a dynamic ecosystem centered round artist IP, permitting followers to interact with their favourite artists in ways in which go far past music. We began with core content material like movies and music however expanded into fan-first superfan platforms, resembling Weverse, in addition to commerce by way of merchandise and album gross sales. Moreover, we provide immersive experiences like concert events and exhibitions, all of that are a part of a fastidiously designed fan journey.
This construction not solely enhances loyalty amongst current followers but additionally attracts new followers, resulting in a constructive cycle that expands the attain of our fandoms. A first-rate instance of that is the THE CITY mission. HYBE’s THE CITY redefines concert events, remodeling them from standalone occasions into citywide fan expertise platforms.
By combining collaborations with motels, exhibitions, pop-up shops, fan gatherings, to different IP-driven content material, we’ve maximized fan immersion whereas additionally increasing our fanbase regionally. Moreover, THE CITY has demonstrated the potential to develop the affect of Okay-pop by connecting with native economies and driving new engagement throughout varied areas.
At HYBE, our objective is to develop Okay-pop past a single style and construct a fandom-driven trade. Finally, we goal to create an ecosystem that transforms fan engagement and emotional connection into long-term worth.
How do fan engagement platforms like Weverse contribute to your general enterprise mannequin?
I imagine superfan platforms like Weverse supply way more than only a fan neighborhood. From a label’s perspective, Weverse contains options like Weverse Albums, unique merchandise, and varied content material, all of which function necessary touchpoints with followers.
This enables us to develop a steady and sustainable superfan technique that’s particularly tailor-made to our artists’ fandom. Superfans, particularly, are deeply engaged and actively help the artists they love, making fan engagement platforms a key instrument in strengthening the bond between followers and artists.
At BELIFT LAB, we design each mission with Weverse in thoughts, and this method has been closely influenced by my position as COO of HYBE, overseeing the broader enterprise technique.
What different rising applied sciences (for instance AI) are you exploring for artist creation and fan engagement?
At BELIFT LAB, we’re open to utilizing know-how that may improve the inventive course of and enhance collaboration between groups. Whereas progressive applied sciences and instruments might be helpful in creating inventive concepts, the bottom line is to make use of them in a method that doesn’t compromise the essence of creation. We’re additionally repeatedly exploring applied sciences that may strengthen our communication with followers by leveraging information, and we’re at all times searching for methods to assist followers have interaction extra actively within the artists’ journey.
What rising developments within the international music trade are you most enthusiastic about that we must always learn about?
One pattern I’m maintaining a tally of proper now’s the globalization of fandom-based companies, particularly pushed by superfans, and the rising want for diversifying IP methods. That is each a key problem and a major alternative for Okay-pop’s continued success.
Fandom-based companies are not area of interest, and Okay-pop enterprise fashions, together with multi-album releases and fan-driven ventures, are actively influencing the standard pop market. HYBE has been on the forefront of designing varied fandom-based enterprise buildings, and transferring ahead, we’ll proceed to develop our solution-based enterprise leveraging our distinctive capabilities.
“One pattern I’m maintaining a tally of proper now’s the globalization of fandom-based companies, particularly pushed by superfans, and the rising want for diversifying IP methods.”
What’s thrilling is that this opens up alternatives to faucet into markets that want content material and IP that replicate their native tradition, language, and emotional sensibilities.
This implies we want extra refined, region-specific methods and fan experiences. HYBE has been all about discovering new artists and creating IP with an area focus, as is clear within the case of &TEAM in Japan and KATSEYE within the U.S.. They’re each HYBE artists that debuted exterior of Korea, and their success reveals that we transcend exporting Okay-pop. We’re creating natural, native IP ecosystems powered by HYBE’s inventive imaginative and prescient and methods. That is an method we plan to maintain constructing on, and I imagine it should play a vital position in shaping HYBE’s development transferring ahead.
What are your long-term ambitions for BELIFT LAB and the artists you’re employed with?
As I discussed earlier, my major focus is cultivating “glad artists.” This implies empowering them to give attention to their work, experiencing creative achievement by way of their music, and discovering satisfaction in each their skilled and private lives.
Life within the highlight is complicated; offering unwavering help for his or her aspirations and translating that into musical and business success is essential. In the long run, my job is to facilitate the mutual development of each the artists and the label.
What are your brief to long-term predictions for the worldwide Okay-pop enterprise?
Over the previous decade, Okay-pop has skilled fast international growth, changing into greater than only a music style however a cultural phenomenon. Within the brief time period, I imagine this momentum will proceed, with the loyalty of Okay-pop followers and the focus of content material consumption remaining one in every of Okay-pop’s best strengths.
“we’re broadening our attain into new genres, aiming to draw followers who haven’t but linked with Okay-pop.”
The restoration of the worldwide touring market, the expansion of streaming, and the continual debut of recent artists will drive the trade within the brief time period, however finally, these development engines will attain their limits. Followers are searching for new, immersive experiences, and the variety of fandoms throughout areas is rising.
To reply to these structural modifications, HYBE is advancing its multi-label system by way of “HYBE 2.0,” enhancing the standard of fan experiences, and accelerating international enterprise growth. Based mostly on a multi-home, multi-genre technique to ascertain ourselves as leaders in every market, we’re integrating Okay-pop experience into every native market atmosphere. On the identical time, we’re broadening our attain into new genres, aiming to draw followers who haven’t but linked with Okay-pop. This method will assist us carry much more followers into the HYBE universe and proceed to evolve our enterprise technique for long-term success.
If there was one factor you would change in regards to the music enterprise what would it not be and why?
If I might change one factor within the music trade, it will be the relentless stress of fast, deadline-driven manufacturing. In right now’s fast-paced world, each music and content material are consumed so rapidly, and because of this, we frequently really feel rushed.
However I imagine that the music and content material that really endure are those which have the facility to seize folks’s consideration and feelings.
Even when it means a slower tempo, fostering an atmosphere the place we are able to make content material that resonates with followers for the long run can in the end maintain larger worth.
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