From Talent Discovery to IP in a Market of 1.4 Billion: HYBE Accelerates Girl Group Production in India

Auditions Held in 1,650 Cities Across 116 Countries

Establishing Mumbai Local Subsidiary and Building Production Organization

Targeting the Indian Market After the U.S., Japan, and Latin America

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HYBE has placed a bold bet on producing a local girl group in India, a country considered the “wasteland” of K-pop. Rather than simply exporting fully-formed artists, this strategy is designed to handle everything locally—from talent scouting and development to music, performances, and intellectual property (IP) businesses.

According to HYBE on September 8, HYBE India will hold the “HYBE India Audition: Final Call” to select girl group members. This follows the first local audition, which started in March. Female applicants born between 2005 and 2011 can apply in the categories of vocals, rap, dance, acting, and modeling.

The number of audition locations has been expanded to 23 with the addition of eight cities: Lucknow, Dimapur, Kohima, Shillong, Jaipur, Indore, Goa, and Kochi. This decision was made after the first audition attracted applicants not only from all 28 states and 6 union territories of India, but also from Indian communities residing abroad, with participants coming from over 1,650 cities in 116 countries.

The company is also accelerating its efforts to establish a business foundation. Last September, HYBE established a local subsidiary in Mumbai with paid-in capital of 870 million rupees (approximately 12.5 billion won). The company is currently recruiting for positions including A&R, performance and casting managers, and T&D managers responsible for trainee training. The aim is to build a system in which everything from selection and training to music and performance production is handled locally.

Although music consumption is active in India, the paid market is still in its early stages. According to EY and the Indian Music Industry (IMI), 96% of smartphone users listen to music, and 80% of those spend more than an hour a day consuming it. However, the number of paid music subscriptions last year reached just around 14 million.

The growth potential is significant. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and EY estimated that India’s music industry revenue grew by 10% year-on-year to 5.9 billion rupees (about 84.84 billion won) last year. Paid subscriptions grew by 37%, and the live events market, including concerts, grew by 44%. There is also the assessment that underground revenue streams can be expanded not just through music, but also through performances, fandom, and brand collaborations.

This push into India aligns with HYBE’s “multi-home, multi-genre” strategy, which involves creating local artists and IP in each region. HYBE has already launched regionally based groups such as KATSEYE in the United States, &TEAM in Japan, and Santos Bravos in Latin America. In India as well, rather than simply copying the success formula from another country, the plan is to establish a production method tailored to the local language and music culture.

The business model is not limited to music releases. This audition process is being conducted with participation from companies such as Kia India and Nongshim. HYBE India is also hiring staff responsible for partnership agreements and IP licensing with local media, online video services (OTT), and consumer goods companies.

Woo Chang Lee, CEO of HYBE India, stated, "We aim to create a methodology deeply rooted in Indian culture that can also resonate with a global audience and compete on the world stage. The talent we are searching for, in a word, is 'superstar potential.'"

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