After KATSEYE, HYBE Debuts First-Ever Latin Group Called Santos Bravos!

The group was formed through a survival show, similar to Pop Star Academy.

K-pop giant HYBE is ready to enter the Latin market. On 23rd October, HYBE Latin America announced the final lineup for their upcoming boy group decided through a survival programme titled Santos Bravos. The group will consist of 5 members, namely, Drew Venegas, Alejandro, Kenneth Lavíll, Gabi and Kauê Penna. They will be the agency’s first Latin group. Read on to know more about the group and the internet’s reactions.

HYBE Debuts Latin Pop Group Santos Bravos

HYBE’s Latin group, also named Santos Bravos, made its official debut on October 22 in Mexico City. According to Chosun Daily, the venue, Auditorio Nacional, was packed with over 10,000 tickets sold. The event’s live stream garnered over 70,000 views and received more than 460,000 views in total in a day. They performed their debut song ‘0%’ at the concert.

Santos Bravos consists of 5 members hailing from five different countries, diversifying the flavour and vibe of the group while still representing true Latin music.

Drew Venegas – 25, United States/Mexico

Alejandro – 21, Perú

Kenneth Lavíll- 16, Mexico

Gabi – 20, Puerto Rico

Kauê Penna – 19, Brazil

Reactions To Santos Bravos

While many fans are excited to see Santos Bravos’ debut and what’s to come in the future for them, some viewers were left disappointed by the final line-up of the group. Many felt that some other contestants were more deserving of debuting in the group. Some have even pointed out that the age gap between certain members may seem awkward and could affect the group’s chemistry.

In August 2025, 17 contestants were selected from a large-scale audition program held in Mexico. The 17 contestants were then trained vigorously as per the K-pop trainee system for six months. Their training period was shown in the reality show that ultimately selected the 5 final members of Santos Bravos.

Also Read: BTS’ Agency HYBE Opens Its First Mumbai Office. More Deets Inside!

HYBE’s global girl group KATSEYE also followed a similar path for their debut. Known for hit songs like ‘Gnarly’ and ‘Touch’, the group was formed through the reality show Pop Star Academy.

Also Read: Here’s How HYBE India Aims To Revolutionize Desi Music Scene With K-pop’s Success Formula

Picture credits: Santos Bravos and X

First Published: October 24, 2025 1:27 PM