Seoul: Bang Si-hyuk, the man who gave the world popular K-pop boyband BTS, announced that he is stepping down from his role as CEO of HYBE (formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment) as a part of a major restructuring of leadership.
The move is part of a company-wide move to “accelerate global operations,” according to the official announcement released by HYBE Thursday.
Bang will now focus on his roles as chairman of the board of directors, where he will still be involved in decision-making about the company’s core businesses.
Also known as “hitman” bang, Bang Si-Hyuk has been credited for working on several songs by HYBE artists like BTS, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and ENHYPEN, as well as other K-pop acts such as 2AM, Wonder Girls, and g.o.d.
New CEO Park Ji-won will step into Bang’s shoes. He joined HYBE just last May, after roles as the global COO of game publisher NEXON Japan and CEO of NEXON Korea. Park will focus on “systematizing the broader organization in line with the company’s rapid growth,” as well as oversee strategy and operations.
While Bang Si Hyuk will still have a role in management, namely, he will still be on the board of directors and he will participate in the decision-making of core projects, he will instead focus on music production as his area of expertise.
HYBE America will be headquartered in the United States, handled by CEO Yoon Seok Joon and Scooter Braun. The company will take the lead in producing, training and marketing in order to transplant K-Pop business models into the U.S market. They will be hosting a global audition project jointly with UMG.
Additionally, HYBE Japan has also been established as an independent label. Although it is still considered a subsidiary of HYBE Labels, it will be given its own independence. Headed by CEO Han Hyuk Rok, he will create a foundation for HYBE Label artists to engage and enter the Japanese market. A rookie boy group will soon be launched through the Japanese subsidiary.