ABD

ABD, short for A Bold Dream, is the newest label inside HYBE's multi-label system and was introduced on May 8, 2026 with a narrow brief: build a new girl-group business from the ground up for the second half of the year. That focus matters. HYBE did not position ABD as a soft extension of an existing roster. It framed the imprint as a separate production lane with its own operating identity and creative logic.

The executive structure gives the launch more weight than a simple logo reveal. No Ji-won, whose background includes artist-planning work at Pledis Entertainment and label operations at More Vision, is leading the company build-out. HYBE also assigned veteran producer Han Sung-soo to oversee music, concept, and performance for the first rookie group, giving the label immediate production seniority.

Strategically, ABD is HYBE expanding its girl-group footprint without diluting the distinct identities of LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, and NewJeans. The label matters because it shows HYBE still believes fresh segmentation, not just bigger scale, is the better way to keep its K-pop IP machine moving.