Three groups linked to HYBE including BTS, Katseye and Enhypen all reached number 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart this year.
BTS started with their 5th studio album "Arirang". The album debuted at number one on the chart on April 4, reaching 641,000 album-equivalent units in the first week.
This is the 7th time BTS has topped the Billboard 200, and "Arirang" also recorded the group's highest week of sales in many years.
With BTS, the big advantage lies in global influence and the fan community built over a decade. Besides commercial achievements, the group maintains an album development method based on thematic themes and stories throughout, creating connection with listeners.
Katseye has a different direction. The global girl group was formed through a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records, bringing their third EP "Wild" to number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart on August 29.
Songs "Animal", "Hootie fruits" and "Pinky up" also appeared on the Billboard Hot 100.
Not built entirely according to the traditional Kpop group model, Katseye owns a member lineup from many cultures. The group combines Kpop's training and production methods with popular pop orientation, directly aimed at the international market, especially the US.
Meanwhile, Enhypen reached a new milestone in his career with his 8th mini album "The sin: Bliss". According to Allkpop, the product is predicted to debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart on September 5th.
If the results are confirmed by Billboard, this will be the first time Enhypen has topped the Billboard 200 after 6 previous albums have been in the Top 10.
According to Hanteo Chart, "The sin: Bliss" sold more than 2.09 million copies in its first week of release. The title track "Bloody paradise" also recorded achievements in international charts.
Compared to BTS and Katseye, Enhypen creates an advantage through its concept system, performance ability and stable fan community.
The fact that BTS, Katseye and Enhypen all reached the top position on Billboard 200 but with different directions shows the diversity in HYBE's artist development strategy.
In which, BTS is based on global influence accumulated for more than a decade, Katseye directly targets the international pop market, and Enhypen continues to expand its influence from the foundation of a new generation Kpop group.
