K-pop powerhouse HYBE said Friday it has established a new label specializing in producing girl groups, with plans to debut its first act later this year. The label is named ABD, short for its brand slogan, “A Bold Dream,” and reflects an approach that seeks to “imagine D instead of C after A and B,” the company said in a statement. The label will be led by No Ji-won, head of artist planning at HYBE subsidiary Pledis Entertainment. Pledis’ veteran producer Han Sung-soo, who has previously worked on artists including Seventeen, After School, IZ*ONE and TWS, will lead production for the new girl group, HYBE said. The planned debut will add to HYBE’s roster of girl groups, which includes Le Sserafim under Source Music, NewJeans under ADOR, ILLIT under Belift Lab and Katseye under HYBE Labels.
May 8, 2026
