BTS Agency HYBE Aims to Acquire K-pop Competitor SM Entertainment

South Korean entertainment business HYBE announced on Friday that it will acquire $335 million worth of shares in rival SM Entertainment in order to bolster its dominance in the K-pop sector.

The transaction will make HYBE the top shareholder of SM Entertainment, as it acquires a 14.8% stake in its rival from the previous largest shareholder and SM founder, Lee Soo-man, for an 18.4% stake, the company stated in a statement.

"HYBE agrees completely with former Chief Producer Lee's strategic ideas, such as metaverse, a multi-label system, and the sustainable vision campaign," stated HYBE Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk.

The agency HYBE oversees the K-pop supergroup BTS. NCT and Aespa are two further popular K-pop bands that call SM their home.

Friday, HYBE also made an offer for SM shares owned by minority owners, attempting to acquire up to 25 percent of the rival agency in order to acquire managerial powers.

SM, JYP, and YG Entertainment dominated the South Korean pop music industry for many years, until the international success of K-pop boy band BTS made HYBE larger than the other three.

But over the next couple of years, all seven BTS members are slated to complete their military service, beginning with Jin, the group's oldest member, who enlisted in December. The septet will not return in its entirety until 2025.

Kim Do Heon, a music critic, believes that SM Entertainment's large portfolio may prove economically advantageous for HYBE now that the group is on hiatus.

"HYBE grew into a giant, but its flaw was that it lacked a legacy. SM is a corporation that has existed throughout the history of K-pop and will bring its legacy to HYBE "Kim stated.

As of 11:05 a.m., HYBE and SM Entertainment shares were up 6% and 16%, respectively (0205 GMT).

This Monday, the South Korean tech company Kakao Corp announced that it would purchase a 9.05 percent share in SM Entertainment in order to develop cooperative ventures, such as global K-pop auditions.