HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk was recently recognized for his role in promoting Asian culture globally, hinting at even more ambitious collaborations across cultures.
Bang Si Hyuk attended the Asia Game Changer Award ceremony in New York City on October 25th (KST), where he delivered his acceptance speech. The award honors individuals who have represented Asia through their achievements in fields like journalism, music, film, and comedy. Although the ceremony took place last month, Bang’s speech was only shared on YouTube on November 19th.
In his speech, delivered in Korean, Bang reflected on the power of collaboration. “From my younger days to now, I’ve worked with musicians from various cultures. Through this, I’ve learned to respect and understand the diversity of individuals and cultures,” he said. “Even now, as a producer constantly exploring new genres, and as the chairman of HYBE with offices in Korea, the U.S., Japan, and Latin America, I firmly believe that blending differences leads to greater creativity and richer musical outcomes.”
Bang also shared insights into K-pop’s international appeal. “The reason K-pop is loved worldwide is not just because it tells universally relatable stories, but also because it combines the most appealing aspects of various genres,” he said. He cited BTS member Jungkook’s hit single Seven as an example. “‘Seven’ was inspired by the UK garage genre and features a collaboration with popular American artist Latto,” Bang explained.
Bang also highlighted the global collaborations of other HYBE artists. “LE SSERAFIM’s song ‘Unforgiven’ samples Ennio Morricone’s ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ and features legendary American guitarist Nile Rodgers. Tomorrow X Together collaborated with Brazilian artist Anitta on ‘Back for More’ last year, which was credited with significantly increasing first-time listeners,” he shared.
The Chairman further emphasized HYBE’s commitment to introducing K-pop to broader audiences. “To highlight K-pop’s strengths in the U.S. and beyond, we’ve been working with Geffen Records, one of the best American labels under Universal Music. As a result, this summer, our global girl group, KATSEYE, debuted and achieved remarkable chart success in the global market,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Bang reiterated his vision for cross-cultural collaboration. “Moving forward, I will continue learning through partnerships with people from diverse cultures while also sharing the knowledge I’ve gained about Korea and Asia with a wider audience,” he said. “I believe that through my work, more opportunities for active cultural exchanges will emerge, paving the way for a brighter future.”
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