HYBE says it is ‘incubating’ markets in Southeast Asia, as local acts rise in the region

HYBE says it is incubating unnamed Southeast Asian markets, watching for signs that local artists can build an audience and support a fan economy. CFO Kyung-Jun Lee said that popularity in a market with strong growth potential could prompt the company to establish local production facilities, as part of its strategy to develop artists and their intellectual property internationally.

Lee pointed to Indonesian act no na and the Philippines’ SB19, both on HYBE’s Weverse platform; P-pop group BINI also joined Weverse in the second quarter of 2026. He said HYBE would avoid markets without an established local entertainment industry, and gave no details about the markets under consideration. The comments followed record third-quarter revenue of KRW 1.53 trillion, about US$1.08 billion, and came as competitors also expand in the region.