South Korea’s entertainment industry is projected to achieve record-breaking profits in 2026, fueled by the highly anticipated full-group comebacks of BTS and Big Bang, analysts said Friday.
According to Hana Securities analyst Lee Ki-hoon, BTS’s planned return to full-group activities next year could generate revenue comparable to the combined sales of YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. Lee also noted mounting excitement surrounding a possible Big Bang reunion to celebrate the group’s 20th debut anniversary.
“If both BTS and Big Bang resume activities around the same time, it would likely lead to unprecedented results for the entire K-pop sector,” Lee stated. “For now, investors should maintain a cautious strategy, gradually increasing exposure until concrete performance indicators emerge.”
Lee further suggested that investments in HYBE, the company managing BTS, should continue to expand until its market capitalization reaches about 15 trillion won ($10.5 billion) — up from its current level of around 11 trillion won.
Hyundai Motor Securities analyst Kim Hyun-yong added that BTS has been steadily rebuilding momentum through initiatives such as BTS Movie Weeks, which ran from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5 and featured four concert films shown in over 2,500 theaters across 65 countries. The group is also expected to sustain fan excitement through pop-up events leading up to the announcement of their 2026 world tour later this year.
Kim projected that the 2026 BTS world tour, slated for May to December, will include 65 concerts and attract approximately 4 million attendees. “While the total number of performances may be slightly lower than previous tours, the average audience per show is unlikely to dip below 60,000,” Kim said. “From the second quarter of next year, when the tour begins, quarterly operating profit could reach around 100 billion won.”
Reflecting growing investor optimism, Hana Securities raised YG Entertainment’s target price by 12% to 145,000 won, while Hyundai Motor Securities increased HYBE’s target price from 350,000 won to 380,000 won.
On Friday, YG Entertainment shares closed at 99,600 won, up 1.84%, and HYBE shares ended at 272,500 won, rising 1.87%. The KOSPI also strengthened, closing at 3,610.49, up 61.28 points or 1.73% from the previous session.
