Photo courtesy: HYBEPictured [L-R]: Bang Si-Hyuk, Chairman of HYBE, and Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Group at HYBE's Town Hall
HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge appeared together at a HYBE town hall to discuss their careers, their leadership philosophies, and the future of the music business.
The event, at HYBE’s HQ in Seoul, gave HYBE staff across the company’s global offices the chance to hear directly from the two executives, the company said in a statement on Wednesday (June 17).
The conversation also turned to the partnership between the two companies, a relationship the pair traced back to 2017.
During the discussion, Bang spoke about HYBE‘s mission to create value for fans through music, and about staying grounded in that purpose as the industry changes, according to the company.
Grainge said that while AI would unlock new opportunities, great music and great people would remain at the center of every successful music company.
Both executives pointed to trust, complementary strengths, and long-term thinking as the foundations of a relationship built on shared values and a commitment to artists, HYBE said.
Photo courtesy: HYBE
“Many leaders work to build successful companies, but Sir Lucian has consistently worked to move the music industry forward.”
Bang Si-Hyuk, HYBE
“Many leaders work to build successful companies, but Sir Lucian has consistently worked to move the music industry forward,” said Bang Si-hyuk.
“Throughout decades of change, he has repeatedly introduced new ideas and solutions that helped shape the future of the industry,” Bang said. “I have long admired his leadership and continue to learn from the way he approaches change and innovation.”
Grainge said: “Bang has built a truly unique company and creative culture.
“What HYBE has achieved across its artists, platforms and global business is extraordinary.”
Grainge added: “The vision, determination and creativity behind that success are exceptionally rare. It has been a privilege to build this partnership together.”
Photo courtesy: HYBE
“What HYBE has achieved across its artists, platforms and global business is extraordinary. The vision, determination and creativity behind that success are exceptionally rare. It has been a privilege to build this partnership together.”
Sir Lucian Grainge, Universal Music Group
HYBE and UMG first worked together in 2017, on a distribution deal covering BTS releases in Japan, before broadening into a strategic partnership in 2021.
That collaboration brought UMG artists onto HYBE‘s superfan platform Weverse and launched the HYBE x Geffen joint venture.
In 2024, the companies signed a new 10-year agreement handing UMG exclusive distribution rights across HYBE’s artists and labels.
As part of that deal, the major took a minority stake in Weverse.
“UMG is an iconic music company and together with HYBE, the potential is endless,” Bang said at the time.
For UMG, the Weverse stake is one piece of a wider superfan strategy.
The major has also backed platforms including Stationhead and EVEN, and pushed streaming services toward higher-priced tiers aimed at superfans.
Grainge‘s town hall comments on AI echoed a position he has set out repeatedly over the past two years.
In an October2025 memo to staff, the UMG boss said the company would not license any AI model built on an artist’s voice or existing songs without that artist’s consent.
Grainge has framed AI as an opportunity rather than a threat.
UMG has struck AI agreements with partners including YouTube, TikTok, and Meta, while pursuing litigation against AI music generators like Suno, which it accuses of training on its catalog without permission.
Last month, Spotify and Universal Music Group announced licensing agreements enabling fans to create AI-powered covers and remixes of songs from participating artists and songwriters.
The two companies reported their latest quarterly results on the same day in late April, and both cited the return of BTS as a driver.
HYBE generated record first-quarter revenue of KRW 698.3 billion ($477 million) in Q1 2026, up 39.5% YoY, driven by BTS‘s sixth studio album ARIRANG.
That followed a 2025 in which HYBE posted record annual revenue of $1.86 billion but saw operating profit fall 73% YoY, as it spent on global expansion and new artist launches.
