HYBE INSIGHT
Let’s enter the world of the museum at HYBE.
HYBE CORPORATION is today a leader in musical innovations. Under this now international firm, we find major music labels such as BELIFT LAB, SOURCE MUSIC, PLEDIS ENTERTAINMENT, KOZ ENTERTAINMENT and more, BIG HIT MUSIC. On the occasion of the opening of its new premises in the Yongsan district of Seoul, a museum called “HYBE INSIGHT” has also emerged, highlighting the talent of artists under the various companies of the corporation. Mainly presenting the groups BTS, TXT, ENHYPEN, GFRIEND, SEVENTEEN and NU’EST, KSTATION TV has made time to visit this museum, which we now show you.
The museum is divided into two floors, the first being dedicated to the creative process of creating music and dance by groups under HYBE, the second to art and games. Photos being prohibited by place, only a limited discovery throughout this article is allowed. First of all, entry to the building is made exclusively by reservation on the museum’s website, for a price varying between 20,000 and 25,000 ₩ depending on the type of ticket chosen (the most expensive allowing you to have the photo of the artist of your choice on it, as well as your name on the back). Then descending a few steps, illuminated screens let us know when we enter by showing videos of the groups we are about to see. We are then called according to our reservation times to give us our ticket, and a bag for the museum experience. Visitors are divided into two groups to compete in a game of hide and seek on the second floor, and the bags are therefore different colors to represent our teams. In this first half, all photos and videos are strictly prohibited, and the staff enforce the rules. After a brief introduction to the future visit, it can begin. To enrich our adventure, a phone application must be installed. To the voice of our favorite group, we discover the different rooms and workshops of HYBE INSIGHT. Embark on this tour with KSTATION TV!
- INTRO : PORTAL
This long space, created by synchronizing light and sound, is the portal that will guide you to HYBE INSIGHT, a realm full of new and exciting adventures. Enter the world of music created by HYBE while focusing on the strange movements by light and different pitches of ambient sound.
- INNOVATIVE SOUND
The first encounter at HYBE INSIGHT is Innovative sound, which delivers stories of our producers and artists. Discover their passions, thoughts, and efforts to enhance their expertise to showcase music loved by global fans beyond time and space, to push boundaries, and to remain committed to creating innovative music with the unique HYBE touch.
- TALKBACK
So how is each piece of music created to be imprinted on our minds? That long journey is introduced by Hitman Bang, Producer Bang Si-hyuk, senior producer Pdogg and our artists. This animated film begins with the producers struck by a surge of creative ideas and goes on to portray in a witty manner the entire challenging process, from recording with artists to mixing sound sources and mastering in order to strike the perfect balance and create an even better sound. The control room and recording booth, separated by a thin transparent partition, are always full of creativity and energy. Discover the strenuous process that our producers and artists go through to create music and inspire one another.
- FINDING SOUND
In order to create captivating combinations of sounds, hours upon hours are spent in the studio. Surrounded by myriad equipment, producers repeatedly make and listen to melodies, chords and beats. For them, the studio is not merely a place to work but a world unto itself. Producers thinker with speakers, amplifiers, keyboards, drum pads, mixers, audio interfaces and effectors to find the exact device required to realize the tone and sound texture they imagine. They then elaborately manipulate faders and knobs in diverse ways to close the distance to the desired sound. Countless devices installed in the studio appear to come to life each time our producers strive to realize the sounds of their imagination. Here are photos of the devices, which form the heart and soul of the studio along with our producers and artists, to invite you on the journey to creating sounds and beats.
- STUDIO 360
The days spent by artists and producers in the studio to push their boundaries and reach new heights add up to new works that touch our hearts. That small yet groundbreaking space has been captured through a 360-degree camera. Take a look into the private studios or producers Pdogg and Bumzu, as well as RM, SUGA and J-HOPE of BTS.
- DECODING
Is it possible to “read” music like the way we listen to it? Music is an art form with temporality, with a beginning and an end. From the beginning to the end, each measure, the smallest unit that makes up melodies and beats, combines with others to create larger units called motifs and passages. Here, you can read and learn the structure and date of music through the infographic that analyzes “ON” performed by Is it possible to “read” music like the way we listen to it? Music is an art form with temporality, with a beginning and an end. From the beginning to the end, each measure, the smallest unit that makes up melodies and beats, combines with others to create larger units called motifs and passages. Here, you can read and learn the structure and date of music through the infographic that analyzes “ON” performed by BTS in multiple layers. Should we take a closer look? The composition of the chords, lyrics, and rap and the distribution and arrangements of the instruments of this song of 4 minutes and 6 seconds are illustrated on a diagram instead of a musical score. The register of each section and the dynamics of different sound expressions can be identified through visual images. Examine the structure of the song analyzed based on data and the components contained in each measure. You will be able to decipher the devices and techniques employed by the producers and artists to effectively communicate their intentions to the listeners. in multiple layers. Should we take a closer look? The composition of the chords, lyrics, and rap and the distribution and arrangements of the instruments of this song of 4 minutes and 6 seconds are illustrated on a diagram instead of a musical score. The register of each section and the dynamics of different sound expressions can be identified through visual images. Examine the structure of the song analyzed based on data and the components contained in each measure. You will be able to decipher the devices and techniques employed by the producers and artists to effectively communicate their intentions to the listeners.
- SOUND LAYERS
Diverse sounds are layered and overlapped in a song that normally lasts for three to four minutes. The sounds that make up each song, from vocals to drums, guitar, and keyboard, can be separated and divided into stem files using the MIDI sequencer. These stem files help identify the arrangement and composition of all the sounds used. The stem files of three songs, including “Left and right” by SEVENTEEN, are offered here for you to experience the sound layers of some of the most familiar songs. With “Fake love” by BTS and “Bet bet” by NU’EST, you can track and isolate even the smallest sound through the work station. If you can discern the intentions and aims of the producers and artists hidden between the layers, it will certainly help you better connect with and feel the music.
- DYNAMIC MOVEMENT
The dramatic movement of artists on stage helps better immerse you in the story of music. HYBE INSIGHT views dance as one of the key tools for communicating music along with sound. In this space, dance encompassing the artists’ dynamic motions and bodily representation of music can be explored from a new perspective.
- MOVING BODY
Here, you can view the video of choreographed movements delivering different dimensions of emotions conveyed by music. Simply focus on the movements themselves as pure artistic expression in response to the temporality of music, setting aside for now their harmony with the melodies, rhythms, and lyrics. The motions of the artists seem to leave behind trails as they gloat down along the waves of sound. Each motion creates a complete scene of drama in conjunction with unfamiliar sounds, which will be imprinted on your minds as a new aspect of dance.
- IN MOTION
The set of images projected through the light box employs the chrono-photography technique first developed by Eadweard J. Muybridge and Etienne-Jules Marey in 1878. This technique, which also laid the foundation for the advent of motion pictures, captures each movement in a number of phases as if cutting the flow of time into equal fragments with a knife. Explore how the artists’ movements and the speed of each movement come to life through this traditional photographic technique.
- BEYOND THE SWEAT
Countless gestures and steps are interconnected to create scenes that touch the hearts of the audience within the limited hearts of the audience within the limited space on stage. Artists practice and repeat the moves over and over again to make them their own. Watch this behind the scenes video that vividly portrays their strenuous effort.
- INSPIRING STORY
The third element of music is the story, or narrative, that interweaves with sound and movement to create a single experience. While music holds significance on its own, it begins to achieve a richer narrative when blended into each artist’s unique world. Melodies, lyrics, images, and videos are seamlessly connected to share symbols and underlying messages with listeners and create new dimensions of meaning. Stories communicated through music walk the fine line between the virtual world and the real world, challenging us to think and feel and attaining permanence within the framework of contemporary culture and society.
- LYRICS VISUALIZED
Lyrics are robably the most direct tool to communicate emotions and stories. The process of creating lyrics that must be written in text and then pronounced into sounds is surely much more complex than simply selecting words that are good to sing. Here, lyrics are reinterpreted into visual images. Explore lyrics converted back into text from sound and showcased as visual images instead of songs.
Regarding this first floor, the entrance is through a bright corridor, before entering a large room separating the workshops by a few partitions. A lot of noise can be heard, as songs by the artists of the agency are played from all corners of the room. It features BTS‘s collection of microphones as well as an a capela version of their song “Dynamite“. In the center, giant screens broadcast the popular song choreography by each group represented: BTS, SEVENTEEN, NU’EST, ENHYPEN and GFRIEND. For BTS, it is “Black swan” that is in the spotlight, before plunging us into the musical universe of the group through a map highlighting the key places that appeared in the boys’ videos. It’s the same concept with SEVENTEEN, but it’s a box with butterflies escaping that represents GFRIEND.
While discovering the studios of the composers and producers of BTS, one sees a large number of sculptures and light wood furniture, as well as some plants for that of RM. The SUGA‘s is all black and smaller, with Star Wars figures here and there, along with a number of instruments and computers. As for J-HOPE, his is colorful, filled with elements of pop culture: Star Wars, John Lennon, SpongeBob or Bugs Bunny. The first floor ends in the Trophy Room, where a huge wall displays the awards received by the artists of the agency. Once all these workshops have been visited, it’s time to go up to the second floor to learn a little more. Here, photos are possible, because in a game with the visitors we need our phone to explore the rooms in search of hidden elements in the scenery that are revealed using 3D technology. The team that finds all of the hidden items the fastest will win a prize at the end of the visit. It’s a game against the clock! For the rest of the floor, here are the different rooms and workshops to discover:
- SEVEN PHASES
This space is designed to showcase works created through collaboration between HYBE INSIGHT and diverse genres of art. HYBE INSIGHT’s first partner, James Jean, is acclaimed for dream-like works that are expressive of unique narratives added to different aspects of everyday life. He immigrated to New Jersey from Taiwan in his early childhood and has continued to portray his experiences on the borders of race, nationality, and culture. His ethereal and elaborate works deal with stories that are both existent and non-existent and refuse to be divided into black or white. In “Garden (2020)” displayed in this exhibition, the BTS members are transformed into the spirits of flowers. They are standing among chrysanthemums, peonies, and lotus flowers, representing beings that instill vitality into the world and reminding viewers of the happiest moments in life through the scene of harmonizing with nature. The seven spirits that arose from the flowers are Moonchild (RM), Champignon (Jimin), Violane (V), Narcissus (Jin), MeowTide (SUGA), Solaria (J-Hope) and Cottontail (Jungkook), and they guide the viewers to join in the journey to the world of enchantment. Experience the Seven Phases that led to the encounter of BTS and James Jean, some of the world’s most acclaimed artists, who have joined hands to reach out and provide comfort to global fans in their own languages at this distressing time. Step into the world created by James Jean and BTS and discover a map for your exhausted soul along the seemingly unending path of life.
- WAYS OF LISTENING
When producers and artists send out messages grounded in their personal experiences through music, listeners respond by embracing and empathizing with these messages in their own ways. Build more densely woven sound experiences through works that expand the parameters of what music can offer and achieve in this space. Ways of Listening stimulated the imagination and all five senses through diverse metaphors beyond the acoustic experience and proposed an innovative way of enjoying music.
- SOUND WAVE
This space reinterprets, and reproduces “music in non-music form”, designed to awaken all five senses using the vibrations of sound. Dynamic melodies are visualized as glittering neon lights of Sound Wave. Follow the neon-colored traces of music, delivering different notes, with your eyes and watch how this wide spectrum of colors converts an acoustic experience into a visual experience.
- SOUND PULSE
Lightly place your hand on the wooden structure installed below Sound Wave. How does it feel? This installation is a tactile speaker that generates a type of vibration. It enables you to experience music through these vibrations, which are the basic nature of sound. Sound Pulse, which contains five sounds, transmits different vibration patterns depending on the position of the hand. Feel the vibrations and guess which song each pattern represents.
- STORY COLLAGE
An album features a procession of songs, each of which is unique in its own sense. All elements intended to be communicated through the album are combined and interwoven under one consistent concept and form a greater message. In front of us is a collage of portrait images of multiple artists. It is created by combining fragments from different images. Look closely into the faces of the artists. The familiar faces brought together in a new context for each album add new depth and energy.
- SOUND & NOTATION
The visualization of music may seem odd, but music has been visually explored in the form of the musical scores for ages. The musical score may not be music in itself, but it is a tangible record of intangible melodies and beats using predefined signs, numbers and letters. Here is a musical score differentiated from conventional musical scores by indicating music with lines, colors, and figures. Notes and signs have been replaced with colors and figures, while measures and verses are reinterpreted and transformed into formative elements. The song is represented through a pattern. Braille music is also on display here. Touch this tactile score with your fingertips and imagine the melodies it creates.
- SCENT OF SOUND
You have experienced music through visual images, and now you can experience it through fragrances inspired by music. Music and fragrance share many common points. Both continue to build elaborate layers, which more vividly define the ambience, and leave behind lingering notes as time continues to pass. Feel and cherish music explored from an olfactory perspective through subtle fragrances.
- SOUND AND IMAGE
The launch of MTV in the US in 1981 brought the shift from “auditory music” to “visual music”. Since then, the music video has come to form a genre of its own and ushered in the era of “music that you see”. The music video, which requires a creative narrative, artistic visual imagery, insightful direction, and a rhythmic sense, works to highlight the color unique to the artist by stimulating multiple senses. It also freely furthers the parameters of music through collaboration with other genres and the inclusion of symbolic images. The music videos you are about to watch are the product of reinterpretations by photographers and graphic designers who combined familiar sounds with strange imagery. Explore the world of music that has been expanded yet again and the messages condensed within through these unique videos.
- MUSIC LAB
Fashion is yet another way to enjoy music. From a one-and-only designer piece to objects special to each artist, the costumes and accessories that made the artists shine even more brightly are displayed here. Watch the video of the on-stage performance with the same costume actually on display and take a closer look at the details of each object to relive each memorable moment.
- FACES OF MUSIC
What images of the artists are preserved in your memory? A star on stage admired by countless fans? A lonely musician absorbed in creating music in the studio? A youth struggling to emerge as an adult? The focus is placed on the coexistence of all these identities within the artists. Their new portrait photos have successfully captured their gazes that reveal their bold yet fragile untold stories and emotions that have been hidden deep within through these inspirational, unique portrait photos revealed for the first time.
- RESONANCE
Sounds come into being, slowly subside, and ultimately disappear. Through the reverberations, sounds convey emotions and leave behind unforgettable memories. What if we were unable to experience such reverberations? We are about to go into the reverberation chamber, where sounds continue to echo endlessly, and the anechoic chamber, where sounds just disappear without being reflected. The experience in these two sharply contrasting spaces will help you realize how music contributes to enriching our day-to-day lives.
- FAREWELL
This concludes what we have prepared for you for today. We have looked into the process of music-making as well as different aspects and forms of music to better explore the music of HYBE.
On the maze of this floor, it was thus possible to discover the Seven Phases art gallery highlighting the work of artist James Jean and his collaboration with BTS. The featured outfits were from the Dior x BTS collection of the song “Mic drop” lives, and there was another room where you could record yourself dancing. There were also some miniature reproductions of filming locations. As for the team play, the prize was a draw between headphones, yoyos, whistles or HYBE INSGHT keyrings. To conclude the visit, interviews with the artists of the agency are broadcast where they tell us about their difficulties in their career as singers, but also what the idol profession has to offer in exchange. The museum closes on a positive note, then we headed to the shop. There, it is possible to buy articles between 7 and 500 € bearing the image of the groups met during the visit, but also concerning the Seven Phases exhibition, and finally on the agency itself.
For people with reduced mobility, it is possible to reserve a wheelchair. Elevators are available, but it is mandatory that someone accompany you and that you present a disability card. The visit lasts two hours, but it is timed since the visit of the rooms is done under the supervision of the staff who monitors the actions of visitors. However, it is mandatory to have an account on the Weverse app to reserve your seats, since direct selling is not possible.
For those who have visited HYBE INSIGHT, what are your impressions?
Journalist : Pillet Anaïs
Photos : Pillet Anaïs
Sources : HYBE ENTERTAINMENT, KSTATION TV
