HYBE Reports ‘No Impact from the NewJeans Crisis’ and Achieves ‘Best First Quarter Ever’ — Sales Surpass 500 Billion Won for the First Time

TL;DR: HYBE just had its best first quarter ever, with sales surpassing 500 billion won for the first time — up 39% from last year. Despite the usual Q1 industry slowdown, HYBE artists like J-Hope, SEVENTEEN, TXT, ENHYPEN, and BOYNEXTDOOR drove strong revenue through world tours and merchandise. Concert sales tripled, MD and licensing surged 75%, and operating profit jumped 50%. Big names like Jin, SEVENTEEN, and LE SSERAFIM are set for major comebacks in Q2. Two new boy groups, AOEN and an upcoming BigHit Music team, will debut this year, showing HYBE’s growth engine is still in overdrive — and the NewJeans crisis had no visible impact.

My note: Their indirect artist participation is a big development. They are able to earn money from products and services without artist's direct involvement (merch, products, etc). This is easier and faster to scale.

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HYBE (352820) has recorded over 500 billion won in first-quarter sales for the first time in its history, despite the season typically being an off-period for the entertainment industry. This marks the company’s highest-ever performance for Q1 since its founding. Sales rose approximately 40% year-over-year, driven by steady growth across HYBE Labels artists.

On April 29, HYBE announced that it achieved consolidated sales of 500.6 billion won in Q1 2025, a 39% increase compared to the same period last year. The first quarter is usually a time when artists recharge after year-end promotions, with fewer album releases and new content. However, this year’s surge in sales was largely attributed to multiple artists under HYBE Labels—including BTS’s J-Hope, SEVENTEEN, TXT (Tomorrow X Together), ENHYPEN, and BOYNEXTDOOR—embarking on solo and group world tours. In other words, HYBE's performance grew because more artists had reached the scale necessary to carry global tours on their own.

Direct artist participation sales, which include record labels, concerts, and advertising, amounted to 322.5 billion won—about 64% of total revenue. While revenue from album sales saw a slight decline year-over-year, concert revenue more than tripled, reaching 155.2 billion won, as world tours drew enthusiastic responses from fans.

Indirect artist participation sales—including merchandise (MD), licensing, digital content, and fan club revenue—accounted for 178.1 billion won or 36% of total sales. The MD and licensing segments, in particular, saw a 75% increase, from 60.7 billion won in the previous year to 106.4 billion won this quarter. Tour-related merchandise was especially popular, alongside character goods tied to artist intellectual property (IP)—including SEVENTEEN’s "Minitin," TXT’s "Hornbatu," LE SSERAFIM’s "PIMS Club," and BOYNEXTDOOR’s "Pwnekdo."

Operating profit also rose significantly, jumping 50% year-over-year to 21.6 billion won in Q1.

Looking ahead, the outlook for Q2 is equally promising. Most HYBE Labels artists will release new albums and resume tours. BTS’s Jin is set to make his solo comeback with his second mini-album “Echo” on May 16, followed by his first solo fan concert tour starting in June. SEVENTEEN will drop their first full-length album in three years on May 26 to mark their 10th debut anniversary. ENHYPEN, fresh off a buzzworthy Coachella performance, is also planning a new album release in June. LE SSERAFIM will kick off their first world tour, “EASY CRAZY HOT,” visiting Japan, Asia, and North America. Meanwhile, BOYNEXTDOOR, who continue to break personal records with each release, will return with their fourth mini-album, “No Genre.” HYBE’s new global girl group, KATSEYE, will release a new single titled “Gnally” on May 30.

New artists are also joining the lineup. A seven-member boy group, AOEN, formed through the survival show Cheering-HIGHDream START LINE, will officially debut on June 11. AOEN has already built a strong local fanbase thanks to positive reactions during the show’s airing.

Additionally, BigHit Music will launch a new boy group in the third quarter. This next-generation creative crew is expected to bring a fresh style to the industry, with members actively participating in music production, choreography, and video creation. The group has already contributed to the works of senior HYBE artists over the past year, showcasing their potential.

Reporter: Ko Jae-wan | Star77

source: https://v.daum.net/v/20250429161347056