HYBE’s Bang Si-hyuk Mentions BTS, TXT, and Le Sserafim: ‘K-Pop’s Global Success Lies in Collaboration’
Chairman Bang attended the “Asia Game Changer Award” ceremony held in Chiefrey, New York, on the 25th of last month (Korean time) and gave a speech expressing his gratitude for the award.
The Asia Game Changer Award is presented to individuals who have illuminated global audiences with their content in fields such as journalism, music, film, and comedy, representing Asia. Although the ceremony took place on the 25th of last month, Chairman Bang’s speech was released on the YouTube channel on the 19th.
In his speech, Chairman Bang spoke in Korean, saying, “Since my younger days, I have collaborated with musicians from various cultures, and through this, I have learned how to respect and understand the diversity of different individuals and cultures.” He continued, “Even now, as a producer who explores various genres and as the chairman of HYBE, headquartered in Korea, the United States, Japan, and Latin America, I believe that when we incorporate differences, we can expect more creative and rich musical results.”
He further explained, “The reason why K-pop music is loved worldwide is not only because it tells universally relatable stories, but also because it combines the appealing advantages of various genres.” He cited, “When I entered, BTS member Jungkook’s ‘Seven’ was playing, which was inspired by the British garage genre and recently collaborated with the popular American artist Latto.”
He continued, “Le Sserafim, a girl group under HYBE, released the song ‘Unforgiven,’ which samples Ennio Morricone’s ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,’ and featured legendary American guitarist Nile Rodgers. Our boy group Tomorrow X Together’s song ‘Back for More,’ in collaboration with Brazilian artist Anitta last year, significantly increased the number of listeners who were new to music.”
Chairman Bang also mentioned, “In order to introduce K-pop’s strengths to the United States and beyond, we have collaborated with Geffen Records, one of the best labels under Universal Music.” He added, “As a result, this summer, the global girl group Catz Eye made their debut and is achieving remarkable chart success in the global market.”
He concluded, “In the future, I will continue to collaborate with people from various cultural spheres, learning from them and spreading the things I have learned from Korea and Asia to a wider audience. I believe that as I work in my position, more people will be able to exchange actively for a better future.”
