ENHYPEN and HYBE‘s original story franchiseDARK MOON made their first-ever appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, bringing the group‘s vampire-inspired universe to one of the world’s biggest pop culture conventions through panels, fan events, exclusive merchandise, and immersive experiences.
Held from 23 to 26 July, DARK MOON transformed parts of the San Diego Convention Center into an extension of its fantasy universe, marking a significant step in the franchise’s global expansion beyond webcomics and music.
One of the weekend’s biggest highlights was Bite Me: Calling All Vampires on 23 July, a panel that explored the enduring appeal of vampire stories across generations. Hosted by TV Guide Magazine‘s Damian Holbrook, the discussion brought together ENHYPEN, Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, and actors Peter Facinelliand Ashley Greene. The panel examined themes of identity, belonging, and community, with ENHYPEN sharing how those ideas are reflected in DARK MOON‘s centuries-spanning narrative.
Elsewhere at Comic-Con, the official DARK MOON booth drew large crowds throughout the convention, with limited-edition merchandise selling out early. On 24 July, ENHYPEN also stopped by for a fan meet-and-greet, which ranked among Comic-Con’s top 10 most-requested exclusives this year out of more than 150 sessions.
The celebrations continued off-site with DARK MOON BLOOD NIGHT with ENHYPEN at San Diego’s House of Blues. Fans dressed in vampire-inspired outfits stepped into the world of DARK MOON through cinematic recreations of key scenes, themed performances, and specially curated food and drinks before ENHYPEN closed the evening with a talk session and live performance inspired by the franchise’s story universe.
“Through the story of vampires who exist between humanity and monstrosity, DARK MOON explores the search for identity and belonging that people experience today,” said Taeho Park, Head of HYBE NEXT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS (NEB). “At this year’s Comic-Con, we demonstrated that DARK MOON is a unique transmedia IP where storytelling, music, and fan experiences reinforce one another.”
The Comic-Con debut marks another milestone for HYBE’s expanding transmedia ambitions, as DARK MOON continues to evolve from its webcomic origins into a franchise spanning music, live experiences, merchandise, and fan engagement alongside ENHYPEN.
