HYBE launches new DARK MOON and fans already see it as a rival to KPop Demon Hunters

HYBE continues to develop its universe Dark Moon with an ambitious new project, among stories that mix K-pop, animation and fantasy. Titled DARK MOON: The Witch of Yerasah, this new part intrigues fans, because it is seen as a potential competitor for success KPop Demon Hunters.

With this announcement, HYBE confirms its desire to push transmedia storytelling even further around its groups and its fictional universes.

This new story marks a significant change in the franchise. This time, it’s no longer about conflicts between vampires and werewolves, but only about a pack of werewolves. The characters must face their destiny, their past lives and the search for their own identity.

The story takes a direction more focused on emotions and characters. Romance and personal choices play an important role, in what HYBE describes as an idea of ​​“self-determined love†, where everyone seeks to build themselves freely, without being confined by the expectations of others.

The project is not limited to a single format. HYBE has chosen to be distributed on several media: web novel, animated videos, weekly episodes and illustrations which gradually enrich the universe. The launch took place on May 20 on Naver Series in South Korea, as well as on various e-book platforms in Japan.

The story takes place in the fictional kingdom of Aman, in the 2010s. It serves as both a prequel to Dark Moon: The Blood Altar and from suite à Dark Moon: The Grey Citywhich reinforces the coherence of the global universe.

To enrich the experience, HYBE collaborates with the K-pop group &TEAM. Their music and their image are integrated directly into the project, notably through the title “Bewitchedâ€which was used in an animated clip illustrating the mythological elements of the story. Some of the group’s promotional content also contains hidden references to this universe.

HYBE also deploys a storytelling strategy extended over time. Since May 18, a series of seven episodes has been broadcast every week on the official YouTube channel DARK MOON SAGA. These episodes further explore the origins and internal conflicts of the characters, while integrating music from &TEAM.

At the same time, illustrations entitled “Blood Print†are gradually published on the project’s social networks, adding new pieces to the narrative puzzle.

According to HYBE, this construction in several formats allows fans to discover the story from different angles, each medium providing a complementary reading of the universe.

The group also wanted to clarify the use of artificial intelligence in production. AI was only used for certain technical steps related to animation, notably movements. The writing, artistic direction and overall construction of the story remain entirely carried out by human creators.

The franchise Dark Moon continue to be well from the original webtoon Dark Moon: The Blood Altarwhich concluded after 71 chapters. An animated adaptation, broadcast this year, also allowed the series to reach a wider international audience.