Hybe Opens Mumbai Office, Auditions for India’s First K-pop Girl Band

The Story in Brief

South Korean music company Hybe, best known as the force behind BTS, has set up an office in Mumbai and begun auditions for an all-girl group built on K-pop principles. The company is holding auditions in 10 Indian cities and five overseas cities with large Indian communities.

Hybe is one of South Korea’s Big Four music labels, with a market capitalisation above $5 billion and annual revenue of $1.8 billion, according to the report. Its India move follows a wider rise in Korean music among young urban Indians. The group could become India’s first prominent all-girl act since Viva!, which sold more than 500,000 copies before splitting a few years after its 2002 debut.

The Indian Opinion

The easy story is that K-pop will simply replace Indian music, or that a polished Korean formula guarantees a hit. Neither follows from the auditions. India’s music market remains tied to film songs and increasingly popular independent music in several Indian languages. Hybe also brings demanding standards on singing, dancing and appearance, which can narrow opportunity and invite unhealthy expectations. The real test is whether the eventual group can build a sustained Indian audience, with original songs and numbers that show repeat listening beyond the launch campaign.

Source: livemint.com

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