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Korea Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
[Exclusive] BTS come back in March, Hybe source confirms
Group to return with labelmate Tomorrow X Together in mid-March, according to another source BTS is set to make its long-awaited full-group comeback in March next year, multiple industry sources confirmed to The Korea Herald, including a source at Hybe. With all seven members completing their mandatory 18-month military service by this weekend — Suga is scheduled for discharge on Saturday — speculation has been mounting among fans and the wider K-pop industry over when the group would reunite and resume full-scale activities. 'BTS' comeback date is set for March next year,' a Hybe official confirmed through The Korea Herald's source recently. Two additional sources based overseas also said the biggest K-pop act in history is preparing to return as a full group early next year. 'While the exact date is unknown, I think it will be mid-March. I heard BTS is returning in the same month as their brother group Tomorrow X Together,' one source told The Korea Herald. 'It could be BTS first, then TXT — or the other way around.' Another source said that Enhypen, a boy group under Belift Lab, had initially planned its comeback for March, but moved it to January to avoid overlapping with BTS' return. Belift Lab is a Hybe subsidiary under its multilabel system along with Big Hit Music, which manages BTS. Big Hit Music could not confirm the date as of press time. While March may seem distant, Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang previously signaled a longer timeline during the company's shareholder meeting in March this year. He stated that the BTS members would need time for preparation and creative work after their military discharge. 'We're preparing alongside top-tier producers, but the artists also need time to reflect and prepare,' Lee said. Meanwhile, Jin is scheduled to kick off his solo fan concert tour 'Runseokjin_EP.Tour' starting June 28-29 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The tour will take him to nine cities, including Chiba and Osaka in Japan, Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa and Newark in the US, as well as London and Amsterdam, with 18 shows planned through Aug. 10 — making a BTS comeback this year unlikely. However, industry insiders see a possibility of a prerelease single or other project dropping before the group's official return.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
BTS' agency to debut new boy group in August
Big Hit Music confirms third-quarter launch with a five-member act co-produced by Hybe chair Bang Si-hyuk Big Hit Music, the K-pop agency behind BTS and a music label under Hybe, is expected to debut a new boy group in August, according to local media reports Tuesday. In a statement to The Korea Herald on Tuesday, Big Hit Music said, 'We are currently preparing for the debut of a new boy group in the third quarter of this year. Details regarding the debut date will be announced officially at a later time.' While the agency did not confirm the August timeline, it did not deny it either — hinting that the report is likely accurate. During a Hybe conference call in April, CEO Lee Jae-sang stated that Big Hit Music plans to launch a five-member boy group in the third quarter. 'Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has been deeply involved in content production. The team will present innovative music that goes beyond the conventional evolution of K-pop boy groups and highlights a unique identity,' Lee said. Hybe also shared that the group will function as a next-generation 'creator crew,' not only performing but also producing their own music, choreography and video content — showcasing a new level of self-expression and creative autonomy. The upcoming act will be Big Hit Music's first new boy group in six years, following Tomorrow X Together, and the first new boy group under Hybe since TWS, who debuted under Pledis Entertainment about a year and a half ago. Big Hit Music has achieved global success with BTS, who debuted in 2013, and Tomorrow X Together, who followed in 2019. With the upcoming group marking the label's third boy band, expectations are high from both fans and the industry, even before their official debut.
Korea Herald
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Hybe deepfake crackdown leads to arrests
Agency, fans cooperate with police authority to halt deepfake crime Several suspects who created and distributed deepfake videos targeting Hybe artists have been arrested by the police. On Friday, the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency announced that a total of eight individuals suspected of producing or distributing false deepfake videos involving Hybe artists had been apprehended by the police. Of these, six individuals — who are accused of creating the fake videos and circulating them through Telegram chatrooms and other social media — have been taken into custody. Including the eight suspects who targeted Hybe artists, police arrested a total of 23 individuals involved in the creation and distribution of sexually explicit fake videos via Telegram chatrooms. Among them, 13 were taken into custody. Over 90 percent of the suspects are reported to be in their teens or 20s, with no stable employment. Hybe and the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency signed a memorandum of understanding on Feb. 25 to combat deepfake-related crimes. They established a cooperative system to enable swift responses, including a dedicated hotline for deepfake cases. Hybe provided critical information to aid in identifying the suspects, and the police were able to make arrests promptly based on such information. Hybe also received reports from fans as part of its efforts to support the crackdown on deepfakes. Since September, the company has operated the 'Report Infringement of Artist Rights' website to protect its artists' rights. Through this platform, fans reported manipulated content that defamed artists, allowing the company to detect the crimes quickly. Kim Ho-seung, chief of the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency, stated, 'Deepfake crimes are on the rise, exploiting the vulnerability of celebrities who often find it difficult to speak out about such victimization. These are serious offenses that can shatter victims' everyday lives. Crimes against public figures are no exception.' He affirmed that the investigation and pursuit of such cases will continue. Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang also emphasized, 'We will take a zero-tolerance, no-settlement stance against crimes that infringe on our artists' portrait rights and reputations.' Lee added Hybe will continue to monitor for similar cases and pursue legal action to root them out.
