SM, HYBE Leaders Named to Billboard's 'Indie Power Players' List

Five Leaders Including Cheolhyuk Jang, Youngjun Tak, and Hansung Soo Make the List

Tak Youngjun (left) and Jang Cheolhyuk, Co-CEOs of SM Entertainment. Courtesy of SM Entertainment

The leaders of SM Entertainment and HYBE music group have been recognized for their leadership in the global music market.

On May 12, Billboard in the United States announced its '2026 Indie Power Players' list, which includes Cheolhyuk Jang and Youngjun Tak, Co-CEOs of SM Entertainment; Hansung Soo, Master Professional at Pledis Entertainment; Seongjin So, Master Professional at Source Music; and Sunjung Shin, CEO of Big Hit Music.

Co-CEO Tak has been selected for five consecutive years since 2022, while Co-CEO Jang has made the list for three consecutive years since 2024.

Co-CEO Jang stated, "We are pursuing various initiatives and changes to enhance creative capabilities within our organization," adding, "We will continue to create new trends that can resonate with a broad global fanbase." Co-CEO Tak commented, "We are working to deliver a consistent experience by expanding not only music but also the spaces where fans consume and engage with content."

(From left) Hansungsoo, Master Professional at Pledis Entertainment; Sunjeong Shin, CEO of BigHit Music; Seongjin So, Master Professional at Source Music. Provided by HYBE

Among HYBE music group label leaders, Master Professional So was selected for the fourth consecutive year, Master Professional Han for the third consecutive year, and CEO Shin for the second consecutive year. They were recognized for expanding the global influence of their affiliated artists, including BTS, SEVENTEEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and LE SSERAFIM.

Master Professional Han oversaw the production of albums for K-pop acts such as SEVENTEEN and TWS, while Master Professional So produced groups including LE SSERAFIM. CEO Shin led BTS's successful comeback and guided the rise of TOMORROW X TOGETHER and KORITIS.

The Indie Power Players is a list published annually by Billboard since 2017. It recognizes label and distribution leaders who have achieved independent success in the global music market, outside of the three major labels such as Universal Music Group.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.