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Fusing Latin soul with K-pop methodology…logged countless hours rehearsing to prepare for activities in Korea
HYBE Latin America’s first boy group, SANTOS BRAVOS (Dru, Caue, Alejandro, Gabi, Kenneth), has arrived in South Korea. The five young men—hailing from Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Puerto Rico—introduced themselves as a collective voice for Latin music on the global stage.
On the afternoon of the 10th at HYBE’s Yongsan headquarters in Seoul, SANTOS BRAVOS greeted reporters with the Korean greeting “annyeonghaseyo” ahead of the release of their first EP, DUAL.
The members described the group as “a team that wants to bring the world together through culture.” Alejandro explained the name, saying, “Everyone has some duality. Our name reflects that: the playful side — ‘Santos’ — and the intense, instinctive side — ‘Bravos.’”
The debut EP DUAL features six tracks, including the double title songs “MHM” and “VELOCIDADE.” Caue called the project “very special,” adding, “This was our first real opportunity to present our music and artistry to the world. The EP has emotional songs and tracks that showcase our vocal abilities, so listeners can hear different sides of us and feel a range of emotions.”
Asked what their trip to Korea meant, the members repeatedly emphasized that they came to learn. Gabi said, “There’s a responsibility that comes with being HYBE’s first Latin pop group. Our goal isn’t to be known only in Latin America—we want to be recognized worldwide.” He added, “Korea is where HYBE began, so this market is very important to us. We spent countless hours practicing to be ready for this moment.”
Dru said, “This is our first trip to Korea, and we’re very excited. We came with a mindset to learn as much as possible. We’re ready to learn from those who came before us, and during our stay we look forward to exploring Korean food, the city of Seoul and the country as a whole.”
The event made clear how seriously they’ve prepared for promotions here. The members not only practiced a Korean greeting in unison but also used a few simple phrases on their own, drawing laughs from the room. Alejandro said he was surprised by how familiar Koreans are with Latin music. “When we appeared on ‘Idol Radio’ recently, Gabi sang a Bad Bunny song and the audience sang along—that surprised me. We’re working hard to immerse ourselves in Korean culture and are learning phrases like ‘Water, please’ and ‘Food, please.’”
Caue said he put a lot of thought into how to show respect for Korea. “HYBE teammates helped a lot with Korean pronunciation and expressions, and I studied on my own,” he said. “We’ve considered how best to communicate with people here and how they, in turn, can come to understand us better.”
Another pillar of SANTOS BRAVOS’ approach is what they call the K-pop methodology. Trained under HYBE’s system, the group pointed to the combination of Latin music and K-pop-style training as a core competitive strength. “We’re grateful we were able to use K-pop methods,” Caue said. “The training helped us become a cohesive group and taught us that hard work makes anything possible. We also learned the discipline of working not just for ourselves but for our fans.”
Dru elaborated: “Bootcamp began with 16 trainees and narrowed to five over six months. Our days followed strict schedules for meals, exercise, rest and vocal care. We pushed past physical and mental limits, and that process helped us grow both as artists and as people.”
Youngest member Kenneth highlighted diligence as another key benefit of the K-pop system. “It taught me that working hard across the board matters beyond just improving a skill,” he said. “I struggled during my voice change, but the methodology and my bandmates’ support helped me through. The message we want to share is that hard work can help you achieve anything.”
When asked whether they are a K-pop group or a Latin-pop group, the members preferred to speak of fusion rather than draw a hard line. Gabi said the Latin music industry is still adjusting to the concept, but he stressed that this doesn’t mean rejection. “The Latin music scene has welcomed us, and we’re growing step by step,” he said. Dru likened their approach to “putting K-pop methodology on top of Latin music like a cherry on top.”
The group was clear about its musical direction when discussing the title tracks. Dru said, “’VELOCIDADE’ is a powerful, fast-paced song that showcases our connection to Brazilian culture. It’s built on Brazilian funk, and we performed the entire track in Portuguese.” He added, “’MHM,’ which we pronounce like ‘eumhum,’ is a feel-good song that conveys love, warmth and stability. Through these two songs we wanted to show our dual sides.”
Caue mentioned HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s involvement with ‘VELOCIDADE,’ saying, “He was deeply engaged in the process, and I’m grateful. As a Brazilian, it was special to bring my culture forward. The members showed great respect for Brazilian music. Even though the song is fast, we finished the recording in three hours thanks to our teamwork.”
Each member named a dream stage in their home country: Alejandro said Peru’s National Stadium; Caue chose Rio’s Maracanã; Kenneth picked Mexico’s GNP Seguros Stadium; Gabi said Puerto Rico’s Coliseo; and Dru mentioned the Rose Bowl in the United States. Though they come from different nations, they said they aim to grow from their roots onto a larger global stage.
Finally, Kenneth said, “We want to be remembered as a role-model group. Just as we represent our own countries, we hope our fans feel we represent them as well. We want to be a team people can always rely on—a safe place.”
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