Full Breakdown
HYBE’s New Label ABD Introduces First Girl Group TUIDE
7/21/2026, 11:54:37 AM
Launch of TUIDE Under ABD
On July 20, 2026 HYBE unveiled TUIDE, a seven-member girl group that will debut in the second half of 2026. The group is the inaugural act for ABD—short for “A Bold Dream”—HYBE’s newly created label dedicated exclusively to girl-group production. ABD opened official social-media channels on the same day and released a stop-motion logo video that visualizes the group’s name, derived from the phrase “Tune the tide.” The announced members are Seohee, Seoyeon, Elena, Jia, Saki, Seah (also reported as Sea or Se-a) and Yi Hani (also listed as Yu Hani or Lee Hanee). An exclusive pre-debut experience, “TUIDE Exclusive Preview [Playground],” is scheduled for August 1-2 in Seoul.
Background: HYBE’s Multi-Label Strategy
HYBE operates a multi-label ecosystem in which each subsidiary enjoys creative autonomy. Existing labels include BIGHIT MUSIC (BTS, TOMORROW X TOGETHER), BELIFT LAB (ENHYPEN, ILLIT), SOURCE Music (LE SSERAFIM), PLEDIS Entertainment (SEVENTEEN, TWS), KOZ Entertainment (ZICO, BOYNEXTDOOR) and ADOR (NewJeans). ABD’s launch expands this structure, aligning with HYBE’s “multi-home, multi-genre” approach that seeks to diversify talent pipelines and strengthen global market reach. Earlier in 2026 HYBE opened nationwide auditions in India and partnered with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records for a Japanese girl-group project, underscoring the label’s overseas expansion.
Key Personnel and Group Members
- Han Sung-soo (also credited as Han Sung-so, Han Seong-su), founder of PLEDIS Entertainment, serves as the group’s producer. He previously oversaw SEVENTEEN, After School, IZ*ONE and TWS.
- Jiwon No, former Head of Artist Planning at PLEDIS, is ABD’s president and directs overall label strategy.
- The seven members—Seohee, Seoyeon, Elena, Jia, Saki, Seah, and Yi Hani—are presented as distinct personalities whose “individual colors” will blend into a harmonious group identity.
Data & Industry Context
HYBE reported record first-quarter 2024 revenue of 698.3 billion won (? $477 million), a 39.5 % year-over-year increase driven by BTS and other releases. The company’s 2025 annual revenue reached $1.86 billion. Recent successes of HYBE’s female acts include LE SSERAFIM’s 2025 EP *HOT* topping Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, ILLIT’s Billboard Hot 100 entry with “Magnetic,” and NewJeans’ EP *Get Up* reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200. KATSEYE, a HYBE-Geffen joint venture, logged 32 million monthly Spotify listeners in Q1 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
HYBE described ABD as a label that “pursues the intrinsic joy of music while exploring new possibilities and expanding the horizons of K-pop.” The agency emphasized that the label’s philosophy centers on “unconventional, flexible, and playful ideas that push beyond norm.” ABD’s president Jiwon No highlighted the label’s aim to “imagine ‘D’ instead of the expected ‘C’ after ‘A’ and B,” signaling a commitment to creative experimentation. HYBE also noted that the TUIDE debut “marks a strategic step in strengthening HYBE’s multi-label ecosystem as K-pop continues to evolve globally.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the spelling of two members: Seah is also reported as Sea, Se-a, or Se-a, while Yi Hani appears as Yu Hani or Lee Hanee. No precise debut date beyond “second half of 2026” has been confirmed, and HYBE has not disclosed the group’s musical genre or lead single.
Verbatim Quotes
- “ABD is driven by its creative philosophy of imagining ‘D’ instead of the expected ‘C’ after ‘A’ and B,” — HYBE press release
- “Guided by a deep understanding of both artists and fans, the new label aims to pursue the intrinsic joy of music while exploring new possibilities and expanding the horizons of K-pop,” — HYBE statement
- “The team’s name comes from the phrase ‘tune the tide,’ which reflects the ambition to take in the world’s many currents and tune them into new forms of enjoyment,” — HYBE press release
- “ It embodies the ambition to experience and harmonize various flows of the world to create new joy.” — ABD announcement
Why It Matters
TUIDE represents HYBE’s first girl-group launch under a label built for autonomous creative direction, positioning the conglomerate to compete more aggressively in a crowded rookie-girl-group market. By pairing veteran producer Han Sung-soo with HYBE’s global infrastructure, the company aims to generate a fresh musical identity that could reinforce its dominance in K-pop and expand its influence across emerging markets.
