{"id":391659,"date":"2026-04-10T13:43:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/391659\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T13:43:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T13:43:36","slug":"hybes-1st-latin-boy-band-santos-bravos-lands-in-seoul-as-k-pop-expands-global-push","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/391659\/","title":{"rendered":"HYBE’s 1st Latin boy band SANTOS BRAVOS lands in Seoul as K-pop expands global push"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"From<\/p>\n

From left, members of SANTOS BRAVOS Drew, Gabi, Kenneth, Alejandro and Kaue pose during a press event at HYBE headquarters in Yongsan Distirct, Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America <\/p>\n

A Latin boy band appearing at HYBE Labels headquarters in the heart of Seoul would have seemed unlikely not long ago. For SANTOS BRAVOS, the moment underscores the company\u2019s effort to expand the K-pop production model beyond Korea.<\/p>\n

The five-member group held a media event Friday at the label\u2019s Yongsan headquarters, introducing itself to Korean press for the first time since debut. The appearance brings the act into the center of the Korean entertainment giant that created it, highlighting the company\u2019s push to build regionally rooted groups beyond K-pop\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

\"Drew<\/p>\n

Drew of boy band SANTOS BRAVOS poses during a press event marking the group\u2019s first public appearance in Korea at HYBE headquarters in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America <\/p>\n

SANTOS BRAVOS debuted in October 2025 as HYBE\u2019s first boy band under its Latin American branch, formed through a survival program that drew trainees from across Latin America, the United States and Europe. <\/p>\n

Comprising members from different backgrounds \u2014 Mexican-American Drew, Alejandro from Peru, Gabi from Puerto Rico, Kaue from Brazil and Kenneth from Mexico \u2014 the final lineup reflects a strategy aimed at building a pan-Latin identity. <\/p>\n

The group first gained attention through its debut showcase at Mexico City\u2019s Auditorio Nacional, where it performed before a sold-out crowd of about 10,000. Its debut single \u201c0%\u201d introduced a performance style that combines K-pop\u2019s signature synchronized choreography with Latin pop influences, followed by its first EP \u201cDual,\u201d released in March.<\/p>\n

\"Gabi<\/p>\n

Gabi of SANTOS BRAVOS poses during a press event at HYBE headquarters in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America <\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s event offered Korean media a closer look at that hybrid approach. The members spoke about their K-pop training process, while emphasizing that their identity remains rooted in Latin America.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all from different countries, bringing different backgrounds and experiences,\u201d Kenneth said. \u201cWe want to unite our cultures and share that with the world. We\u2019ve worked really hard to be here, and we\u2019re grateful to be in Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drew, the leader of the group, described the visit as a learning opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our first time in Korea, and we\u2019re excited to learn from our ‘sunbaenims,’\u201d he said, referring to senior artists under HYBE. \u201cGroups like BTS, Le Sserafim and ILLIT have inspired us a lot. We\u2019re here as students, ready to learn everything we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"From<\/p>\n

From left, members of SANTOS BRAVOS Drew, Gabi, Kenneth, Alejandro and Kaue, attend a press event at HYBE headquarters in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America <\/p>\n

The group\u2019s arrival in Seoul carries symbolic weight. HYBE has increasingly expanded beyond Korea through localized projects designed to apply its production model in different markets. One such effort is global girl group KATSEYE. <\/p>\n

For SANTOS BRAVOS, that system presented both challenges and opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of the most challenging parts, but also one of the best,\u201d Kaue said. \u201cWe realized how much work it takes to become better artists. It taught us discipline and how to grow, not just for ourselves but for our fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Alejandro<\/p>\n

Alejandro of SANTOS BRAVOS poses during a press event at HYBE headquarters in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America<\/p>\n

Gabi acknowledged the pressure that comes with being HYBE\u2019s first Latin boy band, but framed it as motivation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of responsibility,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to represent Latin culture not just in Latin America, but around the world. Being here in Korea is an important step for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s multinational composition reflects the complexity of the Latin market, which spans multiple languages and regional identities. By including members from different countries, HYBE appears to be aiming for broader reach across the region.<\/p>\n

\"Kaue<\/p>\n

Kaue of SANTOS BRAVOS poses during a press event at HYBE headquarters in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America<\/p>\n

Despite the expectations, the members expressed confidence in their long-term ambition.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all have a clear goal,\u201d Alejandro said. \u201cWe want to perform on the biggest stages in our home countries. That would mean everything to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kenneth added that the group hopes to be more than just performers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to represent our countries and be a safe place for our fans,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we can become role models, that would be the biggest achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kenneth<\/p>\n

Kenneth of SANTOS BRAVOS poses during a press event at HYBE headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of HYBE Latin America<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From left, members of SANTOS BRAVOS Drew, Gabi, Kenneth, Alejandro and Kaue pose during a press event at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":391660,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[93,61,60,278],"class_list":{"0":"post-391659","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-music"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/391659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=391659"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/391659\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/391660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=391659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=391659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=391659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}