HYBE Posts All-Time Record Q1 2026 Revenue of ₩698B — BTS ARIRANG Comeback Is Primary Driver

HYBE Corporation reported Q1 2026 financial results showing revenue of ₩698.35 billion (~$469M USD), the highest quarterly revenue ever recorded by the company and a double-digit percentage increase year-over-year. The BTS ARIRANG comeback — including the release of the ARIRANG album (March 2026) and the opening leg of the ARIRANG World Tour — was identified as the primary revenue driver. Merchandise, physical album sales (3.98M copies sold on Day 1 via Hanteo), streaming royalties from 'SWIM' and 'Body to Body,' and tour-related revenue all contributed. HYBE's operating profit slipped slightly from Q1 2025 due to a one-time employee stock award program, but the revenue figure set a new record for any quarter. The strong financials come amid an ongoing legal situation for HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk, who faces a potential refiling of an investor fraud arrest warrant by South Korean police after prosecutors rejected the initial warrant request in late April 2026.