HYBE Launches New Label ABD (A Bold Dream) — New Girl Group Subsidiary Planned for H2 2026

HYBE Entertainment announces the launch of a new multi-label subsidiary named ABD — standing for 'A Bold Dream' — in a move that signals the company's continued expansion beyond BTS-era mainstays. The new label is headed by Noh Ji-won (formerly of Pledis Entertainment) with Han Sung-soo overseeing creative production; Han is known for producing Seventeen, TWS, and IZ*ONE. ABD's first act is expected to be a girl group planned for the second half of 2026. The announcement coincides with HYBE's release of its Q1 2026 earnings, which showed nearly $480M in revenue — driven heavily by the ARIRANG World Tour's North and Latin American legs. HYBE's multi-label structure has been a core pillar of its growth since the 2019 restructuring: it encompasses Big Hit Music (BTS), BELIFT LAB (ENHYPEN), PLEDIS (Seventeen), KOZ Entertainment (Zico), ADOR (NewJeans, though currently in litigation), and now ABD. For BTS and the broader HYBE ecosystem, ABD represents the company's ongoing bet on building a broader K-pop portfolio while BTS's ARIRANG era generates record revenues in 2026. Korea Herald and Billboard Pro both covered the launch as a significant label expansion in the K-pop industry.