Hublot has named Jung Kook its new Global Brand Ambassador, formally linking the Swiss watchmaker to one of K-pop’s most influential solo artists and members of BTS. Announced in Seoul, South Korea, on February 12, 2026, the partnership is framed as a meeting of two forces that redefined what it means to be original.
A watchmaker meets a global pop icon
The announcement positions Hublot’s Art of Fusion philosophy alongside Jung Kook’s genre-blending, emotion-driven approach to music. The brand explicitly connects its own milestones, from the first fusion of gold and rubber in 1980 to the Big Bang in 2005 and the new Big Bang Original Unico in 2026, with Jung Kook’s evolution since his 2013 debut.
By calling the collaboration a convergence, Hublot leans into narrative rather than simple endorsement, suggesting a shared language of experimentation and reinvention. It also deepens the brand’s ongoing bet on cultural partnerships across sport, music, and art.
Jung Kook’s perspective on the partnership
Reflecting on the relationship, Jung Kook said, “Performing Dreamers at the FIFA World Cup in 2022, with Hublot as Official Timekeeper of the competition, was a moment where time and music felt connected. Now, collaborating with Hublot feels like that moment coming full circle. I’ve always admired the brand’s confidence, its craftsmanship, its way of creating its own path.”
Hublot’s view: why Jung Kook
Julien Tornare, Hublot CEO, affirmed, “Jung Kook is one of the most influential artists of his generation,” highlighting his precision, passion, and boundary-pushing mindset as a natural fit for Hublot. He drew a parallel between the brand’s constant rethinking of materials and movements and Jung Kook’s ongoing artistic evolution, saying Hublot is “honored to welcome him into the Hublot family.”
Big Bang Original Unico on Jung Kook’s wrist
The Big Bang Original Unico, launched in January 2026, is the hero watch tied to Jung Kook’s ambassadorship. Hublot describes the model as carrying 20 years of brand mastery, from the first material fusion in 1980 to the design revolution of 2005 and its 2026 reinvention.
Built layer by layer, the Big Bang Original Unico is likened to Jung Kook’s career, which has developed song by song, project by project, always building on previous work while opening new creative directions. The watch is framed not just as an accessory but as an extension of his creative code.
Inside the Unico movement
At the core of the watch is Hublot’s in-house Unico movement, first launched in 2010 as the brand’s own chronograph caliber. The movement is defined by features like a front-facing column wheel, silicon escapement, integrated flyback chronograph precise to 1/8th of a second, and a 72-hour power reserve.
Hublot notes that Unico includes five patented innovations, covering dual oscillating clutches, an anti-trembling system, a “zero friction” ratchet wheel blocker, a fine balance wheel adjustment system, and a constant-pressure friction system for the minute counter, all validated through its Chronofiable protocol. That technical narrative helps justify why this specific watch sits at the center of Jung Kook’s ambassador story.
Bridging watchmaking, sport, and music
The partnership slides neatly into Hublot’s broader Art of Fusion strategy, which extends beyond horology into football, gastronomy, art, and now a deeper engagement with global pop. The brand’s history with major events such as the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Euro, and the FIFA World Cup provides additional context for linking a global performer like Jung Kook to its storytelling.
For fans, collectors, and the wider watch community, this appointment signals Hublot’s intention to keep translating its technical icons, the Big Bang Original Unico in particular, through contemporary culture, not just traditional sports and design narratives.
