Big Hit to diversify portfolios into design, language education, animation

Bang Si-hyuk, CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, BTS's management agency, speaks during a briefing at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment

By Park Ji-won

Big Hit Entertainment, BTS' management agency, unveiled a plan to diversify their business areas, including the launch of a BTS themed drama, graphic books containing the group's song lyrics, new character items and a Korean language education program. The agency also announced that it will launch two boy groups and a girl group by 2022.

“Big Hit's business expansion will know no boundaries… For example, we are preparing Korean language education content for our fans… A music video featuring them (BTS characters) will be released in the first half of this year and four short animated episodes in the second half… We are preparing a drama based on the Bangtan Universe,” Bang Si-hyuk, CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, BTS's management agency, said during a briefing held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul, Wednesday.

The company will launch the language education program “Learn Korean with BTS” which includes lectures on Korean grammar and expressions frequently used by BTS members through its own software.

“There are many fans who can't enjoy Big Hit content to the fullest due to the language barrier… Big Hit has created Korean education media using artist content for a more rewarding and immersive experience for our fans. We begin with BTS but we will expand with the other artists of our label,” Bang said.

The drama themed around BTS will be released in the second half of 2020 or the first half of 2021. Bit Hit also plans to publish books which display the lyrics of BTS songs with new graphic designs.

Meanwhile, the company will launch two boy groups and one girl group by joining hands with other entertainment companies.

Belift, a joint venture of CJ ENM and Big Hit, will launch a boy band within this year. A girl group will debut in 2021 which was formed through “Plus Global Audition.” Big Hit's own boy group will also debut by 2022.

The key members of the company has also announced its sales and performances last year.

While highlighting the firm's achievements last year as a multi-label and multi-business company which includes the purchase of the Source Music label, the management agency of GFriend and the establishment of joint ventures, Big Hit officials said its consolidated sales came to 587.9 billion won ($493.3 million) with a combined operating profit of 97.5 million won in 2019.

Regarding the possibilities of an IPO of the entertainment company, Bang said “No decisions have been made yet.”

“Big Hit will keep working to make our models and our methods become the industry standard,” Bang added.