K-pop powerhouse HYBE has confirmed plans to establish a fully operational subsidiary in India, with a targeted launch timeline of September or October 2025. The announcement follows ongoing market research and corporate setup processes in the country.
The move is part of HYBE’s wider “Multi-home, Multi-genre” strategy, spearheaded by Chairman Bang Si Hyuk, which aims to build locally-rooted businesses in key global territories In India, the focus will be on adapting the K-pop model to reflect local cultural contexts and music markets.
HYBE’s entry into India is positioned as a long-term play in a market with over 1.4 billion people and one of the world’s fastest-growing digital music audiences. While specifics around the Indian operation are yet to be disclosed, the company has made it clear that it sees potential to apply its training, production, and IP-building infrastructure in South Asia.
This expansion follows earlier successes in the United States and Latin America, where HYBE has begun adapting its core model to different genres and audiences. In the U.S., the company’s girl group KATSEYE, launched under HYBE America, entered the Billboard Hot 100 less than a year after debut. In Latin America, HYBE’s partnership with Telemundo on the audition show Pase a la Fama has seen strong viewership, and additional projects are in development, including a new Latin boy group.
A HYBE spokesperson noted that the company’s global localisation strategy is already yielding results, adding that the emergence of newer, non-Western players in global music may shift the power balance currently dominated by the industry’s traditional “Big Three.”
India, with its rapidly maturing independent music ecosystem, growing K-pop fanbase, and emerging talent across genres, offers HYBE both scale and cultural diversity. The company’s upcoming presence could also open the door to new collaborative models between Korean and Indian artists, as well as original IP creation targeted at Gen Z audiences across both markets.
