Global entertainment corporations HYBE will dramatically expand its business scope through a special collaboration with K-fashion.
HYBE officially announced on the 23rd that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea Fashion Association on the 22nd to promote organic cooperation between the entertainment and fashion industries.
This MOU was carried out as part of the '2026 K-Fashion Connect' event hosted by the Korea Fashion Association at COEX in Seoul with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. HYBE, which leads the global K-pop craze, and the Korea Fashion Association, representing the K-fashion industry, joined forces to pursue joint growth of fashion products based on K-pop IP and related industries, leveraging each party's unique expertise and capabilities.
The two sides plan to use this agreement as an opportunity to actively utilize artist IP and firmly establish a K-fashion product manufacturing system that cooperates with excellent domestic manufacturers. Through this, they aim not only to discover new business opportunities but also to strengthen links between entertainment content and the manufacturing industry to further raise the global competitiveness of the entire industry.
Yoo Dong-ju, HYBE music group APAC representative, said, "K-pop now goes beyond music and connects with various industries to create new value," and said, "Together with the Korea Fashion Association, we will expand cooperation with excellent domestic manufacturers and create new possibilities for fashion business based on K-pop IP."
Sung Rae Eun, president of the Korea Fashion Association, also emphasized, "If K-pop has introduced Korea's culture and identity to the world, fashion is the industry that lets people experience and consume it in everyday life," and said, "This agreement is a meaningful example of entertainment and the fashion industry cooperating organically beyond their respective domains, and it is expected to become a practical opportunity to strengthen K-fashion's global competitiveness and revitalize the domestic manufacturing base."
HYBE, which is extending its influence from music to global lifestyle overall, is drawing attention from the industry and fans about what innovative K-fashion content it will present through this agreement.<
[Photo] (from left) Yoo Dong-ju, HYBE music group APAC representative; Choi Woo-hyuk, director of advanced industry policy, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources; Sung Rae Eun, president of the Korea Fashion Association
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