HYBE continues to expand its Dark Moon universe with a new ambitious project that intertwines K-pop, animation, and fantasy. Titled DARK MOON: The Witch of Yerasah, this new installment intrigues fans as a potential competitor to the success of KPop Demon Hunters.
With this announcement, HYBE confirms its commitment to furthering transmedia storytelling around its groups and fictional universes.
This new story marks a significant shift in the franchise. This time, it’s no longer about conflicts between vampires and werewolves, but solely about a pack of werewolves. Characters must face their destiny, their past lives, and the search for their own identity.
The narrative takes a more emotional and character-focused direction. Romance and personal choices play a significant role in what HYBE describes as an idea of “self-determined love,” where each individual seeks to build freely, without being confined by the expectations of others.
The project is not limited to a single format. HYBE has chosen to release it on multiple platforms: web novel, animated videos, weekly episodes, and illustrations that gradually enrich the universe. The launch took place on May 20 on Naver Series in South Korea, as well as on various digital book platforms in Japan.
The story unfolds in the fictional kingdom of Aman in the 2010s. It serves as both a prequel to Dark Moon: The Blood Altar and a sequel to Dark Moon: The Grey City, enhancing the coherence of the overall universe.
To enhance the experience, HYBE collaborates with the K-pop group &TEAM. Their music and image are integrated directly into the project, notably through the song “Bewitched,” which was used in an animated clip illustrating the mythological elements of the story. Some promotional content from the group may also contain hidden references to this universe.
HYBE also employs an extended narrative strategy over time. Since May 18, a series of seven episodes have been released weekly on the official YouTube channel DARK MOON SAGA. These episodes further explore the origins and internal conflicts of the characters while incorporating &TEAM’s music.
Simultaneously, illustrations titled “Blood Print” are gradually being published on the project’s social media, adding new pieces to the narrative puzzle.
According to HYBE, this multi-format construction allows fans to explore the story from different angles, with each platform providing additional insights into the universe.
The group also clarified the use of artificial intelligence in production. AI was only used for certain technical steps related to animation, especially movements. The writing, artistic direction, and overall narrative construction are entirely done by human creators.
The Dark Moon franchise continues to expand well beyond the original webtoon Dark Moon: The Blood Altar, which concluded after 71 chapters. An animated adaptation broadcast this year has also enabled the series to reach a wider international audience.
[Context: HYBE is a South Korean entertainment company known for managing popular K-pop groups such as BTS and TXT. Fact Check: The information regarding the use of artificial intelligence in production and the expansion of the Dark Moon franchise has been accurately reported.]
