K-pop industry expected to post record earnings in 2026 as BTS, Big Bang return

The Korean entertainment industry is expected to post record-high earnings in 2026 as both BTS and Big Bang return to full-group activities, analysts said Friday. Hana Securities analyst Lee Ki-hoon said in a report that with BTS planning to resume full-group activities next year, revenue is likely to match the combined sales of YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. Lee also highlighted strong expectations for a potential full-group comeback by Big Bang to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut. “Should BTS and Big Bang resume activities at the same time, it would naturally drive record-breaking results for the overall K-pop industry,” Lee said. “Maintaining a strategy of gradually increasing exposure remains advisable until clear performance results are observed.” Specifically, the analyst suggested that investment in HYBE, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, should continue to be scaled up until its market capitalization reaches 15 trillion won ($10.5 billion). Currently, HYBE’s market cap stands at around 11 trillion won. Hyundai Motor Securities analyst Kim Hyun-yong notedWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times