On November 7, 2024, South Korea’s Dailyan unveiled a growing protest among netizens known as “Boycott HYBE.”This movement emerged following the release of a controversial internal report by the entertainment company, which occurred on October 24. The report, disclosed by the Democratic Party of Korea, spans 18,000 pages and is filled with offensive commentary directed towards various K-pop groups and underage idols.
Controversial Findings in the Internal Report
The leaked document has incited backlash for its disparaging remarks about popular groups such as Stray Kids, NCT, BLACKPINK, and NMIXX. Notably, it accused BLACKPINK’s Lisa of damaging her reputation due to her performance at the Crazy Horse Cabaret, a burlesque venue. Furthermore, it irresponsibly suggested that the fanbase of Jisoo spread unverified rumors regarding fellow member Rosé’s alleged drug use.
Netizens Demand Accountability
In light of the accusations, users online have expressed their dissatisfaction with HYBE’s response—or lack thereof. Critics assert that the company has failed to issue a public apology to the affected idol groups and has remained disturbingly silent throughout the unfolding scandal.
Idol Comments on the Situation
The issue gained further attention when Seungkwan from SEVENTEEN shared his thoughts on Instagram, addressing the situation directly. He emphasized that idols should not be viewed merely as commodities for entertainment narratives.
“We are not people who have been active so smoothly that you can easily judge us by going up and down,”he stated. “We have been hurt enough, broken down enough, and overcome somehow. We are people who work hard to show our fans our best on stage. I hope you don’t take idols lightly. We don’t deserve to be easily included in your narrative.”
“Not only for us, but also for other artists. We are not your items. I hope you don’t think that you can use and enjoy it as you please,”he reiterated.
For context, SEVENTEEN operates under Pledis Entertainment, which is a subsidiary of HYBE.
Petition Efforts Against HYBE
A call to action has emerged within the K-pop community, with many fans initiating a boycott against the entertainment giant responsible for global sensations such as BTS, ENHYPEN, SEVENTEEN, and LE SSERAFIM. Notably, the CARAT fandom has been particularly vocal in this movement. They launched a petition aimed at revoking HYBE’s status as a “leading company for jobs,”which had amassed over 47,189 signatures by November 4, 2024.
Petition Details and Workplace Concerns
The petition critiques HYBE’s “Top Company” title, proposing that it be rescinded due to allegations of workplace bullying. This issue was highlighted during a National Assembly Audit by NewJeans member Hanni, who alleged hearing a manager advise another group to “ignore”her while collecting feedback in the company halls.
“The decision to cancel the selection of Hive as a top company due to the issue of workplace bullying was taken to ensure the soundness and sustainability of the system for fostering talent and establishing a cooperative labor-management culture.”
HYBE’s Response to the Controversy
In response to the escalating situation, HYBE’s CEO Lee Jae-sang issued an apology on October 29, 2024. He clarified that the controversial report consisted of comments sourced from publicly accessible fan discussions, coupled with personal remarks from a Weverse executive.
Following this scandal, the executive in question was reportedly dismissed from his position as editor-in-chief of Weverse Magazine and reassigned to the human resources department.
For further elaboration on this developing story, please refer to this source.
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