Big Hit Entertainment, the record label behind popular K-pop boy band BTS, is now publicly trading on the Stock Market Division of the Korean Exchange (KRX) in South Korea. The stock is listed as HYBE Co., Ltd. and its ticker symbol is 352820.KS. (Big Hit Entertainment was founded in 2005 but was renamed Hybe Corporation in March, 2021.)
The stock opened at 270,000 won, which is around CAD$315. It saw a surge in price on its first day, followed by a drop on the second day.
Note: all dollar amounts on this page are in US dollars unless otherwise stated.
How to invest in Hybe Corporation (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) from Canada
Because Big Hit Entertainment’s stock will only be available on the South Korean market, it may be difficult for Canadian investors to buy stocks. But there are a couple of ways you can gain exposure.
1. Buy ETFs
The easiest way to gain exposure to South Korean stocks is invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that offer international coverage — specifically those that invest in South Korean stocks, like the Vanguard FTSE Developed Asia Pacific All Cap Index ETF (VAH:TSX) or the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets IMI Index ETF (XEC.TSX).
While this doesn’t allow you to buy Big Hit Entertainment (Hybe Corporation) stock directly, it does give your portfolio exposure to South Korean stocks — possibly including Big Hit.
2. Use an international brokerage account
Many Canadian brokerages only offer access to Canadian stock exchanges like the TSX. If you plan to buy Big Hit Entertainment shares, you’ll need an international brokerage account that allows you to buy and sell shares on overseas markets But it may be difficult.
Most brokerage accounts available in Canada don’t offer access to the South Korean markets. However, Interactive Brokers provides access to securities options on the Korean Exchange.
South Korea places restrictions on foreigners buying stock, which means that to invest you’ll need to do extensive research and fill out the appropriate paperwork. This option is best suited to advanced investors who plan to buy stocks in South Korea on a regular basis and/or make high-dollar investments.
Learn more about Interactive Brokers
Note: the dollar amounts in this table are in CAD.
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What we know about the Big Hit Entertainment IPO
Demand for Big Hit Entertainment’s stock is high among retail and institutional investors alike. In fact, some 1,420 institutional investors wanted pre-subscription access to Big Hit’s IPO, amounting to 1,117 times the subscription amount allotted to institutional investors.
The stock was originally expected to cost 135,000 won, but ended up opening much higher at 270,000 won (USD$235). The stock launched on October 15 in South Korea, and is now trading on the KOSPI. The company’s pre-IPO valuation stood at $4.1 billion, making this South Korea’s biggest IPO since 2017.
Unfortunately, shares aren’t be available on any Canadian domestic exchanges, and so far we haven’t heard anything suggesting the company is planning to launch a Canadian IPO. If you want to purchase stocks from Canada, you’ll need an international brokerage account.
About the company
Big Hit Entertainment is an entertainment company founded in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. With nearly 800 employees, the company manages and produces music for a number of K-pop groups and solo acts, including J-Hope, Lee Hyun, TXT and boy band sensation, BTS — the cause of Big Hit’s IPO buzz.
Despite managing numerous solo performers and groups, most of Big Hit Entertainment’s incoming cash comes from BTS. In 2019, 97% of the company’s revenue was BTS-related. And now that the company is going public, fans of the seven-member K-pop idol group are clamoring to get their hands on a slice of what’s being referred to as BTS stock.
The good news is that the members of BTS are profiting from Big Hit Entertainment’s IPO — as they should. The company awarded each member of the band 68,385 shares, amounting to $7.9 million apiece.
Tax implications of buying foreign stocks in Canada
When you earn money on investments purchased outside Canada, you may trigger 2 types of taxes — income tax paid to foreign governments (called a withholding tax) and income tax paid to the CRA.
However, in most cases, if you purchase stocks on a foreign stock exchange and hold your stocks in a non-registered account like a cash account or margin account, you only have to report interest income to the CRA. But if you choose to hold stocks in a registered account like an RRSP, RRIF or TFSA, this exception does not apply.
If you end up being double taxed, you can file Form T2209 — Federal Foreign Tax Credit in Canada to get a credit of up to 15% on withholding taxes you paid to another country, provided you report the same income to the CRA. Business entities that hold foreign stocks valued over $100,000 CAD must also file Form T1135 – Foreign Income Verification Statement except in certain circumstances like when stocks are held in an RRSP.
When filing a Canadian tax return, all foreign amounts must be converted to Canadian dollars based on (1) the exchange rate on the exact date you received foreign investment income or (2) the Bank of Canada’s average annual exchange rate.
Calculating and filing taxes on foreign investments is complicated. Speak with a tax professional to make sure you understand your obligations.
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Shannon Terrell is a lead writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet and a former editor at Finder, specializing in personal finance. Her writing and analysis on investing and banking has been featured in Bloomberg, Global News, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates and Black Enterprise. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and English literature from the University of Toronto Mississauga. See full bio
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