HYBE and Their Webtoon World at Comic Con New York

If you’re looking for the next book to read, or the next drama to try and you're finding the landscape a bit dry, it’s time to fall into another arena: the land of webtoons. Maybe some of you have already been sucked in, but as the genre gets larger, it’s no surprise that HYBE has focused on this genre. Since launching the BTS-connected 7Fates: CHAKO in early 2022, that became the highest viewed title launched then, HYBE has only expanded this universe, tying their artists to stories generated by their team, to create portals of content that still connect with the artists that we love.

At New York Comic Con’s panel titled, Making Fans the Fans of Our Content With Music and Narratives last month, the team from HYBE’s creative side Inyong Ahn, Sangwoo Hwangbo, Heeyoun Byron Lee, and David Lee from WEBTOON sat down to discuss the concept of fandom and how HYBE was furthering the connection between the fans of the artists that HYBE has been known for, such as BTS, TXT (Tomorrow x Together), ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, &TEAM, and the stories that they’ve created from them.

Inyong Ahn, who leads the storytelling department at HYBE, started the panel conversation with the question, “Have you ever been a fan?” Of course all of us in this realm are fans, but the question was asked to delve into the world of what makes a fan, what drives us as fans and why that reason was why HYBE had decided to expand into the world of webtoons. A company mostly known as the home of artists that primarily make music, HYBE has been taking a multi-dimensional approach to their content. Inyong stated that HYBE asked themselves, “What do we want people to experience beyond that,” which referred to music and performance content, to create something that can transcend that experience. Noting that HYBE found that their fans were open to new experiences, HYBE decided to offer that through the medium of stories.

Inyong took us to the root of HYBE’s storytelling by taking us back to 2015 with BTS’s “I Need You.” She explained that BTS’s image was that of ordinary boys going through the pain of youth. “Their story brought fans into their world and it was a pivotal moment for us (HYBE), as it meant that they were giving the fans a new experience” she stated after showing a clip of the video and then letting us know that the story in the video linked to a concert that year, showing the guys in their school uniforms having fun. She explained that the title of this story was called The Most Beautiful Moment of Life, a phrase that BTS fans are well aware of as the title of their third mini-album. Each member’s unique past led to the creation of a storytelling team in the company. They fleshed out the story that continued through the videos for “RUN,” “피 땀 눈물 (Blood Sweat & Tears)” “FAKE LOVE,” and “Euphoria : Theme of LOVE YOURSELF 起 Wonder.”

Moving from just listening to laughing and crying to empathize with the characters of the story led to books and other media. Fans also started creating their own stories, leading HYBE to realize that the stories could be branched out. HYBE realized that the fan experience could become even more enjoyable and multi-dimensional. 

So what are the stories themselves? That was the job of the next speaker to explain: Sangwoo Hwangbo, the General Manager of HYBE’s original stories. Launched at various points in 2022, the current webtoons include 7Fates: CHAKHO with BTS, THE STAR SEEKERS with TXT (Tomorrow x Together), DARK MOON with ENHYPEN,” Crimson Heart with LE SSERAFIM, and DARK MOON: THE GREY CITY with &TEAM.

7Fates: CHAKHO has been described as a dynamic story following seven young men, each inspired by a member of BTS, bound by fate. CHAKHO starts in a dystopian world. The theme and story experience may seem far from BTS and the theme of The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, but the story still focuses on unity and how the characters utilize their imperfections to grow together. Though the connection between tiger hunters and BTS, and vampire hunters with ENHYPEN, might seem to be a bit far-fetched, Sangwoo explained that the characters themselves are actually closely aligned with the members’ characteristics. Not content with just a webtoon platform, Sangwoo brought a showing of the latest animated version of CHAKHO. Transitioning from webtoons to animation, HYBE is furthering the connection between the different realms of media. The animation was amazing and the animated series is bound to be a hit.

“Why did we choose vampires as our muse for the story of DARK MOON?” Answering himself, Sangwoo noted that, “Vampires are beings that cannot belong anywhere. They are not alive, but not exactly dead. They are marginal creatures, and being on a margin means that you are standing on a very fine line.” The story focuses on boys with different identities that can survive as marginal beings.” Playing the OST for DARK MOON, ENHYPEN’s “One In A Billion,” it became easier to see the link and the connections that HYBE is weaving.

The goal seems to create connections. Some might connect with the comic or webtoon first, some via the music first, but one experience might allow you to connect with the other realm of their content. Heeyoun Byron Lee shared also that the boundaries were beyond the digital, speaking about the DARK MOON with ENHYPEN festival at the Lotte World theme park in Seoul that took place this past September. We can only hope that these kinds of events could expand and carry over stateside.

In the meantime, HYBE has actually put these books to print, so if the vertical scroll isn’t your style or if you want to gift something this holiday season, Yen Press has the printed versions of 7FATES: CHAKO, The Star Seekers, and  DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR  which you can buy now. There will be more connections via merchandise between the comic series and the artist. In fact, at the Korean Comic booth at Comic Con, we got a glimpse at the DARK MOON ENHYPEN photocards that are set to come out this December. Time to add to your holiday list, and in the meantime, you can go onto WEBTOON and binge the stories themselves.