Julien Tornare on Partnering With Jung Kook and Hublot’s Next Chapter
The Hublot CEO discusses the convergence between the brand’s disruptive watchmaking and Jung Kook’s genre-blending artistry following the major announcement in Seoul.
Seoul has long been the beating heart of global pop culture, but on February 12, 2025, the city pulsed with a different kind of energy. Amidst the frenzy of flashbulbs and roaring fans, Hublot officially unveiled BTS’ Jung Kook as its newest Global Brand Ambassador. The announcement marks a pivotal moment of “fusion” for the brand — bridging the heritage of Swiss horology with the unstoppable momentum of the digital generation.
For Hublot’s CEO. Julien Tornare, the partnership is more than just a high-profile endorsement; it is a strategic rebalancing of the brand’s universe. Since taking the helm, Tornare has been on a mission to amplify Hublot’s cultural footprint beyond the football pitch, tapping into the worlds of art and music to connect with a younger, hyper-engaged demographic. Jung Kook, a multi-disciplinary artist who has been experimenting with his sound since his solo days, mirrors Hublot’s own history of breaking conventions — from its controversial 1980 debut of gold on rubber to the 2005 launch of the Big Bang.
“Jung Kook will definitely help us boost our visibility and awareness, but most importantly, desirability.”
Fundamental to this new chapter is the Big Bang Original Unico, a timepiece that symbolizes the brand’s evolution and technical mastery. As Hublot prepares to make bold statements on heritage and mechanics at the upcoming Watches & Wonders in Geneva, the alignment with Jung Kook signals a future where “desirability” is driven by both horological substance and emotional resonance.
Hypebeast sat down with Tornare in Seoul ahead of the announcement to discuss the “ARMY” effect, the shift in Hublot’s global strategy and why the “Art of Fusion” is about to get a lot louder.
Hypebeast: You could have announced this new ambassador anywhere in the world, but you chose Seoul. Why here?
Julien Tornare: The main reason is that he [Jung Kook] is from here. But also, K-Pop is all about this place — a destination that everyone now enjoys visiting. I remember the days when South Korea was just a regional interest while I was living in Hong Kong, but now, it’s global. I was speaking to a travel agency recently, and the demand for trips to South Korea is incredible. The country has become so big in terms of appeal that I thought it was crucial to do it here; it’s going to resonate all over Asia and the world.
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This partnership opens Hublot up to a demographic that is younger, digital-native and incredibly passionate. Is Hublot ready for the energy – and the traffic – that the “ARMY” brings?
One thing I can tell you is that Hublot is always ready for that kind of thing. Hublot offers some of the most energized brand experiences, so I think this direction is perfect for us. My goal is to reactivate and boost two engines that have made Hublot successful over the last 20 years: hyperactive marketing and dynamic creativity. The third engine I will develop is the watchmaking expertise we aren’t yet fully known for, but deserve to be. But ultimately, it’s about emotion. If you don’t have that connection or bond with your clients, you miss the point of luxury. This collaboration is going to create a massive emotional bond.
Jung Kook has such a dominant social presence. How does this partnership affect the way you think about Hublot’s digital strategy this year?
We are boosting our presence significantly in the digital world because that is today’s reality. Whether we like it or not, we have to look forward and be influenced by younger clients. Someone like Jung Kook will definitely help us boost our visibility and awareness, but most importantly, desirability. Desirability is the keyword in luxury. By definition, we don’t need luxury; you go for it because you feel something so special you can’t resist. Using the right leverage digitally with someone like him gives us that exposure.
“We want Hublot to have a stronger presence in Asia, so Jung Kook is perfect”
Speaking of ambassadors, Hublot has traditionally been very focused on football. How does this signing fit into your broader vision for the brand?
We have been heavily into football for the last decade and I wanted to rebalance that. We will still be into the sport, but in different ways. We want Hublot to have a stronger presence in Asia, so Jung Kook is perfect, but I’m also reinvesting in the US market — Patrick Mahomes is one aspect, and we have a great contemporary artist from the US joining later this year.
Given Hublot’s history of collaborations with artists like Takashi Murakami and Daniel Arsham, is it too early to say if a “Jung Kook x Hublot” watch is on the drawing board?
When we initiate a collaboration with artists, they are usually making something with their hands, so we put watches on the table and ask, “What do we do together?” Artists love Hublot because we have no boundaries. With ambassadors like singers or performers, I want them to start with the brand first. They need to feel the brand from the inside. Maybe a collaboration can come at a later stage, but for now, it’s like a wedding — we just started, so we need to get to know each other. It’s the engagement stage.
We’ve seen Jung Kook wearing the Big Bang Original Unico. Was there a specific watch he gravitated toward early on?
It was mostly the Big Bang in our initial discussions. I guess he feels connected to it — it’s the first iconic watch of the 21st century, super modern and it reinvented the codes of watchmaking. When I described that to him, I could feel the direction going there. It mirrors his own path of reshaping sound and rhythm.
“Maybe a collaboration can come at a later stage, but for now, it’s like a wedding — we just started, so we need to get to know each other.”
Looking ahead to Watches & Wonders in Geneva, what can we expect from Hublot under your leadership?
I want people to find out that we have built incredible expertise in watchmaking — that we make our own movements with a high level of sophistication. At Watches & Wonders, I will make a big statement on a warranty that will show my level of trust in our brand. And for the first time, as Hublot is always looking forward, I will be announcing something that focuses on the past. We are looking at our heritage and may bring our founder, Mr. Carlo Crocco, back into the narrative. It’s time for us to work on the serious aspect of the brand: watchmaking history and substance.
Ultimately, what is the “Hublot experience” you want new fans to chase?
I want our clients to feel that when they buy a watch from us, they are automatically part of the big Hublotista family. We don’t need luxury, so we want to create special moments. Whether it’s a private concert with 50 Cent at Art Basel or a connection through K-Pop, the “one-fits-all” strategy is in the past. If I know your hobbies, I will target just that. That is the ultimate level of a luxury brand that we need to focus on.
