A key part of the strategy for HYBE’s global expansion is to bring to the world the “K-pop methodology” that made global superstars out of such groups as BTS, Seventeen and Enhyphen.

That method, developed by HYBE founder and Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, involves winnowing down a field of contestants through a process of rigorous training and image-building, which these days is often filmed as part of a reality show that itself serves as a marketing vehicle to introduce the group members to the public and hype up the act ahead of its debut.

Now, for the first time, HYBE is bringing the K-pop method to its Latin music division. HYBE Latin America announced on Wednesday (July 9) the launch of SANTOS BRAVOS – the name of a new project to develop a Latin boy group, as well as the name of the group itself.

Sixteen aspiring pop stars, ranging in age from 15 to 25 and hailing from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Venezuela and the US, will face off for five spots in SANTOS BRAVOS. As recently as last month, HYBE said it had 300 applicants for the band. It’s one of three projects HYBE is planning in the Latin American market.

Starting this August, the 16 SANTOS BRAVOS finalists will take part in what HYBE calls a “creative boot camp designed to challenge and refine their musical, emotional, and performance abilities.”

The whole thing will be captured in an “interactive, digital-first experience, as well as in long-form episodes that offer an intimate window into the process,” HYBE said. No word yet on where the show will air, but it’s a good bet it will be available on the HYBE-owned Weverse superfan platform.

“Our goal is not just to create a group, but to guide young Latin artists through a real transformation — artistically and personally,” Bang Si-Hyuk said in a statement.

“SANTOS BRAVOS is about authenticity, emotion, and connection.”

HYBE has lined up a superstar crew to guide the process, with American filmmaker Kenny Ortega, best known for the High School Musical trilogy, as Creative Director; Israeli songwriter and producer Johnny Goldstein (Shakira, Daddy Yankee) as Music Producer; artist developer RAab Stevenson (Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, SZA) as Vocal Coach; and renowned documentary writer/director Jaime Escallón (The X Factor, Survivor) as showrunner.

“Our goal is not just to create a group, but to guide young Latin artists through a real transformation — artistically and personally.”

Bang Si-Hyuk, HYBE

The training and elimination process begins in August at the “brick building” in Mexico City’s Parque Bicentenario, which, starting on July 17, will also be the site of HYBE Latin America’s first-ever interactive experience, for those wanting a sneak peek at SANTOS BRAVOS’ aspirants and an inside look at HYBE’s methodology.

The interactive show will feature installations featuring SANTOS BRAVOS as well as other HYBE artists, and will also serve as a venue for special events, concerts, fireside chats and interactive activations, HYBE said. Access to the experience will be available through Weverse or through SANTOS BRAVOS’ official landing page.

HYBE has made no secret of the fact it wants to change fan culture in US and Latin music, with CEO Jason Jaesang Lee telling listeners on an earnings call last year the company wants to “revitalize the enthusiastic fandom culture that sort of disappeared in the US after the 1990s.”

To that end, the South Korean entertainment giant teamed up with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records in 2021 to launch a global girl group. In 2024, after more than 120,000 applications and a rigorous competition among 20 finalists, HYBE and Geffen debuted KATSEYE.

Now the hunt is on for HYBE’s first global boy group, with the company’s US division, HYBE America, teaming up with artist/producer Ryan Tedder earlier this year to launch the search.

And HYBE’s plans don’t end there. Earlier this month, the company confirmed to MBW it plans to expand into India in the second half of 2025 – making it a good bet that the K-pop methodology will be coming to the burgeoning South Asian music scene soon.

The 16 SANTOS BRAVOS finalists are:

• Kenneth Lavill (15, Mexico)
• Jonah García (23, Mexico)
• Leonardo Lotina (23, Mexico)
• Pablo Carns (24, Mexico)
• Luigi Cerrada (19, Mexico, Venezuela)
• Heider Moreno (23, Venezuela)
• Iannis Biblos (21, Argentina)
• Priano (24, Colombia)
• Kauê (18, Brazil)
• Lucas Burgatti (23, Brazil)
• Patricio Rodríguez (18, USA/Mexico)
• Alejandro Aramburú (21, Peru)
• Drew Venegas (25, USA/Mexico)
• Jesuale (16, USA/Venezuela)
• Alex Mandon Rey (20, Spain)
• Diego López (23, Mexico/USA)

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Buck had already announced her plans to retire, but moved up the timeline by almost a year. Her successor is Kirk Tanner, a PepsiCo alum-turned-CEO of Wendy’s who led the fast food chain’s collabs with brands from Spongebob to Takis.

When the 2025 Fortune 500 was published a month ago, 55 companies on the list were led by female CEOs. Buck was one of the longer-tenured among that group; she’d led Hershey since 2017. She well outlasted the average tenure of a female Fortune 500 chief, which has hovered around four years for a decade. (For men, it’s seven—which Buck also beat.)

But Buck has said, per the Wall Street Journal, that she stayed in the CEO job for longer than she planned, after being asked by her board. In her recent months on the job, she dealt with a tough environment for the candy-makers, from high cocoa prices to slowed consumer spending to “Make America Healthy Again”‘s criticism of artificial dyes and processed foods.

On the Fortune 500, women are still running more than 10% of companies, if not quite the 11% that stat hit in June. The 71-year-old ranking of America’s largest companies first crossed the 10% mark for female CEOs in 2023. One CEO’s retirement is hardly a problem for female CEOs writ large, but when dealing with numbers this small, every hire or exit matters. Hershey conducted a search for Buck’s replacement and went with an external candidate. That’s where men seem to have an advantage—between 2024 and 2025 no female executives were hired into Fortune 500 CEO jobs, only promoted to them from within.

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com

The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Today’s edition was curated by Sara Braun. Subscribe here.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

– ICC charges. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued arrest warrants for both the Taliban supreme leader and the head of Afghanistan’s Supreme Court, on charges of persecuting women and girls since returning to power in 2021. Associated Press

– LA ICE raids. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass slammed the Trump administration’s latest immigration enforcement sweep, which took place at MacArthur Park in the city’s Westlake District on Monday. ICE officers on horseback moved from one end of the park to the other. “To me, this is another example of the administration ratcheting up chaos by deploying what looked like a military operation in an American city,” Bass said. CBS News

-No more NDAs. Government leaders in the U.K. are set to add a provision to employee-rights legislation that would ban the use of non-disclosure agreements by employers to silence victims of workplace harassment. The legislation would void existing NDAs used by businesses for this purpose and allow witnesses to speak out without risk of legal retribution. Bloomberg  

– Another pivot. WeightWatchers emerged from bankruptcy and announced a new program designed to support women going through menopause. The program is set to launch later this year, and will provide resources for women in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.  MarketWatch

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Conga, a revenue process platform, appointed Celia Fleischaker as its new chief marketing officer. She most recently served as CMO at Isolved. 

EnGene, a clinical-stage, non-viral gene-based immunotherapy company, promoted Jill Buck to chief development officer. She most recently served as senior vice president of clinical development operations at the company. 

UniUni, a last-mile delivery company, announced the appointment of Sheila Berry as its new chief revenue officer. She most recently led logistics product partnerships globally at Shopify. 

The University of St. Thomas appointed Dr. Sinda K. Vanderpool as the institution’s tenth president. She most recently was the president and vice chancellor of St. Mary’s University.

Weidner Apartment Homes, a real estate and investment and property management company, appointed Lonna Torchia to the company’s executive leadership team. She currently serves as executive vice president.

ON MY RADAR

They’re calling her an influencer. She’s calling it campaign strategy The 19th

Melinda French Gates reveals she’s refusing to fund her Gen Z daughter’s new startup—despite being worth nearly $31 billion Fortune

Meet the women of Wall Street Bloomberg

PARTING WORDS

“I have been in Hollywood at every size. I have been a sample size, I have had my body change because of life, illness, aging, menopause. And it is merciless wherever you are.” 

—Lena Dunham, whose Netflix show Too Much is premiering, on beauty standards in the entertainment industry

Two fictional K-pop groups from Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters are seeing significant streaming success, with their songs occupying multiple spots in global music charts.

The Saja Boys, a virtual boy band from the film, currently have two songs sitting on the No.4 and No.8 spots on Spotify’s daily Top 50 – Global chart as of Tuesday (July 8).

The tracks — Your Idol and Soda Pop — have also made it to No. 15 and No. 17, respectively, on Apple Music’s Top 100: Global daily chart.

Saja Boys’ Your Idol is also currently No.1 on Spotify’s US Daily Top Songs chart, while Golden by Huntr/x, the film’s fictional girl group, is in the second position on the US chart and No.2 on Spotify’s daily Top 50 – Global chart.

As noted by the BBC, the US chart performance makes the Saja Boys the highest-charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history, topping heavyweights BTS. Huntr/x, meanwhile surpassed Blackpink’s previous peak performance on the chart.

Huntr/x have attracted 13.9 million listeners per month on Spotify. Saja Boys currently have 11.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Huntr/x’s Golden also landed at No. 4 on Apple Music’s Top 100: Global daily chart. How It’s Done currently sits at No. 9 on Spotify and No. 25 on Apple Music.

The chart placements position these fictional groups alongside “real” artists like Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.

Variety reports that Golden has experienced a 2,000% increase in streams since the film produced by Sony Pictures Animation debuted on June 20.

The film, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, stars the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Squid Game’s Lee Byung-hun.

Ian Eisendrath, who produced Golden, told Variety: “I find K-Pop to be the most theatrical genre of music today, and that obviously lends itself to the story and the screen.”

“Our goal from day one was to have the songs double-function as songs that forward or comment on the action story, because I do not believe you can take up screen time and not have it do something for the story.”

The film’s chart performance extends beyond Saja Boys and Huntr/x’s individual songs. The soundtrack for the Kpop Demon Hunters debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, marking this year’s strongest debut for a film soundtrack, with Golden serving as the most-streamed track from the soundtrack globally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/AzCAwdp1uIQ

Republic Records released Golden as an official single with instrumental and a cappella versions last Friday (July 4), according to Variety. The song will also reportedly be submitted by Netflix for awards consideration.

When it debuted, the film had 9.2 million views, reaching Netflix’s Top 10 in all 93 countries tracked, reaching No. 1 in 33 countries including South Korea, Brazil, France, Mexico and the Philippines, Variety said.

The chart success of the virtual K-pop groups come amid the rise of digital artists, particularly in K-pop. In September last year, K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment partnered with South Korean mobile network operator LG Uplus to develop AI-powered content for its first virtual artist, Naevis, including music videos, short-form videos, goods, and other content using images and videos generated by the AI platform.

HYBE, another K-pop giant, is also actively involved in the virtual artist space, having launched a virtual girl group called SYNDI8 and virtual artist MIDNATT last year.

Kakao Entertainment, the entertainment subsidiary of Korean internet company Kakao, also has a virtual K-pop girl band called MAVE, which debuted in January 2023. MAVE has so far garnered over 583,300 followers on TikTok and over 328,000 followers on Instagram.

Kakao launched MAVE in 2023 through Metaverse Entertainment, a joint venture with South Korean mobile game maker Netmarble.

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