Variety's 2026 Young Hollywood Impact Report named four Korean acts among the 18–28-year-olds poised to shape entertainment. The list dropped August 4.
Variety published its 2026 Young Hollywood Impact Report on August 4 (local time). Four acts with Korean ties made the cut: LE SSERAFIM's Huh Yunjin, KATSEYE, CORTIS, and actress Ha Yerin. The annual report spotlights musicians, content creators, actors, and athletes aged 18–28 who Variety judges believe will lead the entertainment industry. Three of them—Huh Yunjin, KATSEYE, and CORTIS—are HYBE artists.
Variety called Huh Yunjin "not only a member of LE SSERAFIM but also a songwriter and the creative axis that shapes the team's direction." She wrote or co-wrote 8 of the 11 tracks on LE SSERAFIM's second full-length album PUREFLOW pt. 1, released in May. When asked what comes next, she said: "I will maintain the most LE SSERAFIM-like essence."
KATSEYE landed the description "one of the most outstanding girl groups in contemporary popular music." Variety singled out two moments: performing Gnarly as a Best New Artist nominee at the 68th Grammy Awards in February, and their Coachella set in April. The members recalled standing on those stages as surreal. "It feels like a dream," they said, "after spending childhood watching festivals and award shows for artistic inspiration." Their third EP, WILD, arrives August 14.
CORTIS debuted on the list as "a new K-pop star and skilled group from Big Hit Music, which is home to BTS." Their second mini-album GREENGREEN hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in May. They sold out every seat across a nine-city first world tour. The five members told Variety they're chasing growth without losing themselves. "Even if our music style and sound evolve, we hope people can still recognize CORTIS right away," they said.
Ha Yerin, a Korean-Australian actress and granddaughter of actress Son Sook, earned her spot for playing Sophie Beck in Netflix's Bridgerton Season 4. She's currently filming Season 5. (Three HYBE acts on one list is the kind of stat that makes a label's PR team very happy.) Ha Yerin told Variety she wants her next roles to be "works that spark deep discourse and are not afraid to confront the darker aspects of human experience."
