Latest news with #AlanChikinChow
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
HYBE Sells Remaining Stake in K-Pop Rival SM Entertainment for $177 Million
HYBE has sold its remaining 9.38% stake in rival SM Entertainment to Tencent Music Entertainment for approximately $177 million, the company revealed in regulatory filing. The SM agency is home to such groups as EXO, Aespa (pictured above) and NCT 127; Tencent Music is a subsidiary of Chinese tech giant Tencent. The deal will see 2.21 million shares transferred at 110,000 Korean won per share and is set to close on May 30, according to the filing. HYBE initially acquired a 14.8% stake in SM from founder Lee Soo Man, and later upped its holding to 15.78% through an unsuccessful takeover bid, being topped by Kakao and its subsidiary Kakao Entertainment, which now holds slightly over 40%. Tencent is now the second-largest shareholder in SM. More from Variety HYBE Latin Launches 'Medellín Music Lab' in Colombia: 'Ready to Make History' (EXCLUSIVE) K-Pop Group NewJeans to Continue Label Battle Despite Fresh Court Setback Alan Chikin Chow Launches Casting Call for Co-Ed Pop Group He's Forming With HYBE America That Will Be Featured in a Scripted Series on YouTube (EXCLUSIVE) According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, cited in Music Business Worldwide, HYBE stated that I has 'divested non-core assets as part of a choice and concentration strategy,' adding that the 'Secured funds will be used to secure future growth engines.' It noted that SM says that the company plans to 'work more closely with Tencent Music' following the share sale. MBW notes that China-based Tencent Music's investment in SM, a South Korean music company, coincides with reports that China will be lifting its ban on South Korean cultural and entertainment content imports. That ban was imposed by China in 2017 in response to the deployment of a U.S. missile system in South Korea. With a population of more than 1.4 billion people, China would seem ripe for Korean entertainment. Tencent Holdings also owns stakes in other K-pop operations, including Kakoa (a 4.61% stake) labels and YG Entertainment. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Korea Herald
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Hybe's efforts to localize K-pop groups continue, this time in collaboration with YouTube creator Alan Chikin Chow
Global audition seeks aspiring singers, dancers, aged 18-28 for new multinational pop group by "Hybe America x AU" Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, is continuing its localization strategy by creating a new multinational pop group in partnership with popular YouTube creator Alan Chikin Chow, the company's US branch announced Friday. K-pop localization, led by agencies such as Hybe, SM and JYP, involves creating idol groups tailored to regional markets by recruiting local members, using native languages and adapting K-pop's training system. A key example is Katseye, Hybe's first multinational girl group formed with Geffen Records in California in 2023. Hybe America also plans to establish a new label, 'Hybe America x AU,' together with Chow, which will span both drama and music, blending fictional storytelling with real-world artist development. The YouTuber will serve as co-CEO and executive producer alongside James Shin, president of film and television at Hybe America, and Scooter Braun, CEO of Hybe America. The label's first project kicks off with a global audition targeting aspiring singers and dancers between the ages of 18 and 28. Applicants of any nationality can participate by uploading short-form videos to YouTube Shorts using the hashtag '#HYBEAMERICAxAU.' Selected participants will join a US-based intensive development program that combines Hybe's K-pop training with Chow's narrative-driven approach. The group will officially debut through a new original series from 'Alan's Universe,' which will follow the story of young artists entering an art academy and forming their own band. 'Alan's ability to connect with global audiences is remarkable. This collaboration will redefine the process of star-making, blending exceptional storytelling and artist discovery,' Braun said in a statement. According to Hybe America, the project reflects a growing trend in the entertainment industry where storytelling and artist development increasingly intersect. Chow is a globally popular YouTube Shorts creator, currently boasting over 88.8 million subscribers on his 'Alan's Universe' channel. Known for its themes of love, friendship and values relevant to teens, the web series has surpassed 700 million cumulative views across platforms. 'This partnership between the passionate global fandom of 'Alan's Universe' and the musical expertise of Hybe America will create powerful synergy,' Chow said. 'Together, we'll build a new label that delivers inspiration and resonance to audiences around the world.' Shin added, 'This collaboration goes beyond the simple coexistence of music and content — it's a blueprint for the future of entertainment. We plan to create a new artist development model tailored for the digital era.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alan Chikin Chow Launches Casting Call for Co-Ed Pop Group He's Forming With HYBE America That Will Be Featured in a Scripted Series on YouTube (EXCLUSIVE)
Alan Chikin Chow is looking for some 'multifaceted artists' to join him in a new mixed-gender pop-music group — and who also will co-star with him in a scripted series about the band on his YouTube channel. Chow, a top YouTuber who is the creator and star behind hit scripted teen comedy series 'Alan's Universe,' has inked a partnership with HYBE America, the U.S. division of Korean music and entertainment company HYBE. Together they have formed HYBE America x AU, described as a 'first-of-its-kind label' that will launch a next-generation franchise spanning both scripted content and music. More from Variety South Korea's Hybe IM Raises $21 Million for Video Game Publishing and Development, Including K-Pop Artist IP K-Pop Group NewJeans Vows to Continue Label Battle Despite Court Setback: 'This Fight Is Necessary' K-Pop's CD Problem: Environmental Groups Sound Alarm on Industry's Carbon Footprint 'The HYBE America x AU collaboration challenges current industry conventions with a bold approach that bridges Eastern and Western entertainment traditions in an entirely new way,' the partners said in announcing the venture. The initial project under the newly formed label will kick off with a global talent search to cast emerging artists to star alongside Chow in a co-ed band, composed of three males and three females. Following the casting of the band's members, they will participate in a development program in Los Angeles combining 'Chow's content expertise' with HYBE's K-pop training system. The music group will publicly debut in an original streaming series. Chow will lead as executive producer and label co-head alongside HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun and James Shin, president of film and television. The series about the as-yet-unnamed band will 'follow a group of aspiring pop idol rejects enrolled at an arts academy who decide to form their own band, fusing the worlds of drama, acting and musical performance with concurrent releases of original music and choreography,' according to the announcement. HYBE America X AU will launch a global talent search on social media. To audition, male and female candidates between 18-28 are asked to upload a singing or dancing clip onto YouTube Shorts via the hashtag #HYBEAMERICAxAU to be considered. More info is available at 'The passionate global fanbase of 'Alan's Universe' partnered with the premier music prowess of HYBE America creates an unstoppable force,' Chow said in a statement provided to Variety. 'Together, we stand to create a next-generation franchise with one purpose: to serve our fans with inspiring, impactful stories.' The franchise's video content will be available Chow's own YouTube channel (which has more than 87 million subscribers), and will extend across music platforms, merchandise, live touring and more. 'This partnership represents entertainment's future — where content and music enhance each other rather than simply coexist,' Shin said. 'We're building a franchise with Alan that establishes a new model for artist development in the digital age.' Braun added, 'Alan's extraordinary connection with global audiences makes him and this partnership unique. Together we are not only reimagining the star-making process but will help to create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for exceptional storytelling and development.' Chow, 28, is touted as the most-watched YouTube Shorts creator with more than 1 billion views per month. To date, his 'Alan's Universe' series, in which he stars and executive produces, has garnered more than 700 million views across multiple platforms, with an average of 20 million views per episode. Chow most recently opened a 10,000-square-foot production studio space in L.A. in November 2024, which currently houses all production for the series. He's repped by CAA. Watch the trailer for the HYBE America x AU music project audition: Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
