HYBE's Dark Moon Captivates Comic-Con

HYBE's "Dark Moon" franchise, inspired by K-pop group ENHYPEN, was a major presence at Comic-Con International in San Diego. The multimedia urban fantasy, which debuted as a webtoon in 2022, has garnered over 2,000 million cumulative views globally and spent 26 consecutive weeks on Naver's Top 10 in North America. Its popularity led to a special soundtrack album, MEMORABILIA, and a sequel webtoon, DARK MOON: Two Moons, in 2025.

This year, HYBE launched an animated adaptation of "Dark Moon" on Crunchyroll, available in eight languages, marking a significant step in its global expansion strategy. Taeho Park, Head of HYBE's Next Entertainment Business, highlighted Comic-Con as a key opportunity to introduce the franchise to a wider U.S. audience.

The "Dark Moon" narrative centers on seven vampires protecting a schoolgirl with superhuman strength at Decelis Academy, exploring themes of identity, solidarity, and overcoming marginalization. Park noted the story's contemporary relevance and its resonance with audiences.

While characters are inspired by ENHYPEN members, "Dark Moon" operates as a separate IP with its own lore. HYBE aims to expand the universe through various content, including potential live-action adaptations and expanding storylines with characters like werewolves, exemplified by &TEAM's "Dark Moon: Grey City" series.

HYBE's strategy emphasizes creating fantasy-driven IPs with lasting appeal, focusing on global markets like the U.S. and Japan. The company prioritizes quality and artistic collaboration, ensuring "Dark Moon" remains a core focus for its transmedia expansion, with plans for further content development over the next three years.