Santos Bravos sets sights on global stage with Latin pop–K-pop fusion

Latin American boy band Santos Bravos is aiming to move beyond regional recognition, positioning itself as a global act by blending Latin pop with K-pop’s training system and production model.

Formed through a reality series under Hybe Latin America, the quintet — Drew, Alejandro, Kaue, Gabi and Kenneth — debuted in Mexico in October after undergoing K-pop-style training as part of Hybe’s “multihome, multigenre” strategy led by Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.

Since its debut, Santos Bravos has drawn attention for combining the free-spirited energy of Latin music with the polished production style of K-pop. The group is set to make its first appearance on Korean music shows starting this week.

At a press conference held at Hybe’s headquarters in central Seoul, the group shared its musical direction and ambitions, speaking in English.

“Rather than being known only in Latin America, our goal is to reach audiences around the world,” said Gabi. “We’ve been working very hard for this, and we want fans here in Korea to accept us as well.”

The group brings together members from diverse cultural backgrounds, including the US, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Puerto Rico. Their music combines the soul and groove of Latin pop with the precision of K-pop — an approach the members say has shaped both their artistry and discipline.

Drew said the group views its visit to Korea not only as a promotional opportunity, but also as a chance to learn from senior K-pop acts such as BTS, Cortis, Le Sserafim and Illit.

“We’re here in Korea as students,” he said. “We want to learn everything — the music, the culture — and grow as much as possible.”

That dual identity sits at the center of Santos Bravos’ first EP, “Dual,” released March 13. Kenneth said the album presents two contrasting sides of the group — a brighter, more playful image and a darker, more intense one.

The six-track release includes new songs alongside previously released tracks “0%” and “Kawasaki.”

“We wanted to show two different sides of who we are, but most importantly, we wanted to be ourselves and express ourselves through this album,” Kenneth said. “We believe that when we show our true selves, people can connect with us more deeply.”

The EP features two lead tracks, “Mhm” and “Velocidade,” highlighting this contrast.

“We wanted to showcase two different sides of Santos Bravos,” Drew said. “‘Velocidade’ is a powerful, fast-paced track that reflects a lot of our culture, while ‘Mhm’ is a warmer, more comforting song. We wanted to show that, like our listeners, we also have different sides as individuals.”

With “Velocidade” drawing on Brazilian funk, Kaue said the track held particular meaning for him as it allowed him to share part of his cultural background.

“As a Brazilian, it’s special for me to share a bit of my culture,” he said. “Seeing the members embrace it, and fans who had never sung in Portuguese try the language, was very meaningful.”

The members described themselves as a group that sits between cultures, bringing Latin sentiment into a K-pop framework while learning from Korea’s entertainment industry.

“Our strength is our Latin essence,” Alejandro said. “We’re very emotional and in touch with our feelings, and we’re not afraid to show that. We hope people can connect with that.”

The group also emphasized how the K-pop training process shaped its development.

“The challenge of the K-pop methodology taught us discipline — how to work, manage our time and keep pushing ourselves,” Kaue said. “It helped us understand that we’re working not just for ourselves, but for our fans, to become better artists.”

Though still early in its career, Santos Bravos has already gained international traction, appearing at major festivals and performing as a guest at a Shakira concert in Mexico.

Looking ahead, the group said its long-term goal is to perform on major stages across each member’s home country.

“We want to represent where we come from and be a safe space for our fans,” Kenneth said. “We want Santos Bravos to show that if you work hard, you can achieve anything.”