HYBE Pledges Over $300k for Colombia Earthquake Recovery

HYBE, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS and other major K-pop acts, is donating 1 billion Colombian pesos — roughly $300,000 — to support relief and recovery efforts following the recent earthquake in Colombia.

The contribution, made through HYBE America on behalf of the parent company, will be coordinated by Fundación Ábaco, a Colombian nonprofit that channels resources to communities affected by emergencies and humanitarian crises. HYBE said the funds will help address the immediate needs of affected communities while supporting longer-term recovery as damaged areas begin to rebuild.

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, killing hundreds of people and damaging thousands of buildings in what officials have described as the strongest quake to hit the country in a decade. As of August 16, Colombian authorities have reported 289 dead, 143 missing, nearly 4,000 injured and over 14,000 homes and structures completely destroyed.

Relief organizations have been carrying out search-and-rescue operations and distributing food, medical aid and emergency supplies across the affected regions in the days since.

HYBE framed the donation as an extension of its ongoing ties to Colombia, and to Medellín in particular. The company and its chairman, Bang Si-Hyuk, have built a connection to the city through involvement in its local music industry, including Medellín Music Lab, a public initiative led by the city’s mayor’s office to support emerging talent and help young artists connect with the broader music business.

In addition, Isaac Lee, the chairman/CEO of HYBE America, is Colombian, and his oversight –in addition to Big Machine, QC and HYBE’s investments with Unviersal Music Group in artists like KATSEYE– also includes the company’s operations in Mexico, Miami and Medellín, and is Colombian.

The donation is the latest example of HYBE expanding its footprint in Latin America through HYBE America, its U.S.-based division. The company has increasingly invested in the region as part of a broader global growth strategy, building on the worldwide commercial success of its roster. HYBE remains the most commercially dominant force in K-pop, home to BTS — the first Korean act to top the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 — as well as artists including Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together and Le Sserafim, and its Latin American push has included dedicated ventures aimed at developing regional talent.