HYBE Achieves Record-Breaking Q2 Sales
Aug 06, 2025
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The consolidated Hive sales in the second quarter of this year were 705.6 billion won, up 10.2% from the same period last year (640.5 billion won), which was the previous record in the second quarter. Compared to the previous quarter, it rose 41%, showing a steep rise. Operating profit was 65.9 billion won, up 29% from the same period last year and up 205% from the previous quarter. The operating margin rose 1.4 percentage points (p) from 7.9% to 9.3%.
Among the total sales, direct participatory sales, which are directly related to artist activities, were tallied at 447.9 billion won. In particular, sales in the performance sector jumped 31% year-on-year to KRW 188.7 billion, leading the growth. About 1.8 million fans attended the Hive Music Group artists' world tour and fan concert in the second quarter. BTS Jin and J-Hope's solo tour, Seventeen's Japanese fan meeting, and Tomorrow X Together and Le Seraphim's world tour were popular. As various artists are scheduled to tour in the second half of the year, the performance sector is expected to continue to be strong.
Sales in the album division were 228.6 billion won, down 8.4% from the same period last year, and maintained stable performance despite the market conditions in which K-pop album sales have recently fallen.
In the album category, BTS Jin ranked third with his second mini-album 'Echo', and Seventeen ranked first in album sales in the first half of Korea with his fifth full-length album 'HAPPY BURSTDAY' marking the 10th anniversary of his debut. ENHYPEN's 6th mini-album 'DESIRE: UNLEASH' achieved an initial double million seller and ranked 3rd in 'Billboards 200'. Le Seraphim topped the Oricon daily chart and ranked second on the weekly chart with his fourth Japanese single 'DIFFERENT'. Boynextdoor broke its initial career high with its fourth mini-album 'No Genre', and ILLIT entered 'Billboards 200' with its third mini-album 'bomb', putting all albums released since its debut on the global main chart.
Music performance was also outstanding in the global market. The new songs 'Don't Say You Love Me' and 'Killin'It Girl' by BTS Jin and J-Hope were listed on the Billboard main chart 'Hot 100'. More than a year after their debut, global girl group Cats Eye included two songs from EP 'BEAUTIFUL CHAOS'Gabriela' and 'Gnarly' on the Billboard Hot 100'. The two songs drew even responses from the Latin and European markets, including simultaneous entry into the U.K. official chart and Spotify's top global chart, as well as North America. Artists from the Big Machine Label Group also proved their music power. Thomas Rhett earned the highest rating in the US music industry, 'RIAA Diamond', while Riley Greene's 'Worst Way' topped the US Country Radio Airplay chart.
Indirect participatory sales of MD, licensing, content, and fan club sales recorded 257.8 billion won. Among them, the MD and licensing division recorded 152.9 billion won, up 40% from the same period last year, and the sale of tour MDs, light sticks, and intellectual property (IP)-based character products were the main factors. The fan club sector also reached an all-time high of 34.6 billion won, up 46% year-on-year.
Weverse showed a steady growth trend, averaging 10.9 million monthly active users (MAU). In particular, in June, when all BTS members returned, it reached an all-time high of 12 million MAU. New artists such as Japanese national band Mrs. Green Apple and Katori Singo, an actor and singer from the group Smab, also contributed to the rise of Weverse MAU. Weverse's overall payment amount for the quarter is up 41% quarter-on-quarter, thanks to the active activity of major artists.
rightlight@sportschosun.com
