HYBE's Latin Boy Group Santos Bravos Credit K-Pop Training for Teaching Them 'Dedication'

Santos Bravos descended on HYBE's headquarters in Seoul's Yongsan district on April 10, greeting reporters in carefully rehearsed Korean before settling in for the group's first media appearance in South Korea. "We came here with the mindset of students," said Drew, the group's leader. "BTS, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, Kōtis, so many seniors have paved the way in K-pop and inspired us. We want to absorb as much as we can while we're here."

The five-member group, Drew (USA), Kenneth (Mexico), Alejandro (Peru), Kauê (Brazil), and Gabi (Puerto Rico), debuted in October 2024 as the first boy group launched by HYBE Latin America. Their debut single "0%" introduced them to the world, and last month they followed up with their first EP, DUAL, a six-track project built around the theme of duality. The EP includes double title tracks "MHM" and "VELOCIDADE", the latter featuring songwriting contributions from HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk.

The Korea visit is a deliberate move. Gabi explained that South Korea was chosen as a key promotional market simply because "Korea is where HYBE began." He added: "We worked and trained hard to get here. Our goal is to become a group known around the world, and in that sense the Korean market, the heart of K-pop, is incredibly important to us." During their stay, the group is scheduled to appear on Korean music broadcast programs.

Santos Bravos is the latest expression of HYBE's so-called K-pop methodology, a training-driven approach the company has been applying to localized acts outside Korea. The strategy previously produced KATSEYE, HYBE's US-based girl group. Santos Bravos operates primarily out of Latin America, but was built using the same rigorous training system.

For Kauê, that system was transformative. "It was the best training I've ever experienced as an artist," he said. "Some of us had already worked as singers or dancers before, but going through HYBE's training made me want to push even harder. What I took away from it was confidence, the belief that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything." He also mentioned that members studied Korean independently and through the company, wanting to show "how much we love Korean culture."

Kenneth spoke about what the group represents beyond the music. "Each of us represents our own country's culture, and we want to share that with the world," he said. "We've only been around six months and we're already grateful for everything."

Leader Drew offered perhaps the most telling reflection on what it means to blend Latin pop with K-pop sensibilities. "When you try a new sport or new food, it might feel unfamiliar at first, but eventually you reach a point where you fully embrace it," he said. "We believe that's where this is heading."

As for their ultimate dream, Alejandro kept it concrete: "It's clear. We want to perform at the biggest arenas in each of our five home countries." Kenneth added a softer ambition: "I want to be a role model, someone people can turn to, like a place of comfort, whenever they think of us."

With DUAL now out and their first Korea promotions underway, Santos Bravos are making the case that HYBE's global playbook has plenty of room left to expand.