Hybe's BTS Concert Falls Short, Stock Drops

0:00It's March 23rd. You're listening to Global News today, AI-powered coverage from around the world. I'm Cory with the story. HiBee Shares, Homes of K-Pop Giants BTS, plunged after their comeback concert drew far fewer fans than hoped. The free event in Seoul's Gwangwa Moon Square pulled in about 104,000 people on Saturday, less than half the 250,000 expected. It marked the first full group performance since the band's hiatus for mandatory military service back in 2022. The show launched their sold-out 82-day world tour and stream live on Netflix to over 190 countries. HiBee Stock had surged recently on hype for the new album R-Ring, but tumbled nearly 15% Monday to a four-month low. Fans turned out, despite strict crowd limits in the streaming alternative, cheering hits like butter and dynamite plus fresh tracks. The K-Music reported Ari-Rong sold almost 4 million copies this first day, showing album demand stayed sky high.

1:00For HiBee, the stakes run deep since BTS fuels most profits, which cratered during the long break. K-Pop's worldwide surge now pits them against rivals like Blackpink, Seventeen, and Stray Kids. Netflix viewership stats drop later this week, hinting at how online fans filled the gap as the tour pushes forward globally.