HYBE Reaches Record Revenue in 2025 but Experiences 73% Drop in Operating Profit; Concert Business Becomes Key Growth Driver

HYBE achieved its highest annual revenue ever in 2025 at 26.5 billion won (approximately 1.86 billion dollars), yet its operating profit plummeted by 73% compared to the previous year, indicating a decline in operational profitability.

Although HYBE’s annual revenue grew by 17.5% from the prior year, its operating profit dropped to 4.99 billion won (approximately 35.1 million dollars). The operating margin shrank from 8.2% in 2024 to 1.9% in 2025, while total EBITDA fell by 47% to 15.4 billion won.

HYBE’s largest revenue-generating segment, which involves direct involvement with artists, increased by 16.4% to 1.684 trillion won (approximately 1.18 billion dollars). However, revenue from music albums decreased by 10.2% to 772.96 billion won (approximately 540 million dollars).

The most notable change was the rapid growth of the concert business. Concert-related revenue in 2025 reached 763.9 billion won (approximately 537.5 million dollars), a 69.4% increase from the previous year, marking HYBE’s highest annual concert revenue on record. In contrast, in 2023, music album revenue (970.55 billion won) was nearly three times higher than concert revenue (359.1 billion won), but by 2025, concert revenue (763.9 billion won) came very close to album revenue (773.0 billion won).

HYBE held 279 concerts by 12 artists in 53 cities in 2025, a significant increase from 172 concerts in 2024. Notable tours included SEVENTEEN’s “Right Here New-Warning Tour” (49 concerts in 22 cities), Tomorrow X Together’s “ACT : PROMISE ACT : TOMORROW” tour (40 concerts in 21 cities), LE SSERAFIM’s “EASY CRAZY HOT” tour (29 concerts in 19 cities), and ENHYPEN’s “Walk The Line” tour (26 concerts in 16 cities).

In particular, j-hope’s “Hope On The Stage” tour as a solo artist achieved the milestone of being the first Korean solo artist to perform at stadiums in North America, with 33 shows across 16 cities. BTS’s “World Tour ARIRANG,” set to begin in April 2026, will feature 82 performances in 34 cities across 23 countries. It is expected to be the largest stadium world tour since 2022 and to set a new record for the most performances in K-POP history. This tour includes 14 new cities such as Madrid, Brussels, Munich, Buenos Aires, Lima, and Toronto.

As of February 13, HYBE remains the leader in the K-POP industry by market capitalization on the South Korean stock market.