HYBE is getting slammed as more negative comments about other K-pop artists come to light in its report.
Recently, some snippets of HYBE’s controversial internal monitoring report went viral, criticizing EXO members and accusing Baekhyun and Jungkook.
EXO Baekhyun Accused of Copying BTS Jungkook
HYBE criticized the “Pineapple Slice” singer, stating, “The team’s situation doesn’t align perfectly with his expectations, and as someone likely aware of his changing status within the group, he seems a bit anxious. He even went live on Instagram at 7 a.m. to show fans his stretches and morning routine, a natural side of himself that, though usually characteristic of him, feels inspired by Jungkook’s recent moves to connect with fans in this informal way.
It seems fans were eager to make this moment a trending topic but looked into why it didn’t gain traction. Apparently, the reason was that “mentions of Baekhyun were blocked from trending due to a surge in defamatory language, hateful comments, and harmful images against the member. This response from the company is spreading among fans, though the truth remains unclear.“
Before his military service, Jungkook often livestreamed and shared glimpses of his daily life, including workouts and cooking sessions. He had several livestreams where fans could see him training in boxing with a coach or just working out.
HYBE’s report suggests Baekhyun is borrowing from Jungkook’s playbook by broadcasting morning workout sessions via livestream.
Baekhyun and D.O.
Further, the HYBE internal report stated, “Initially, there was even some anticipation that Baekhyun and D.O. might form a duo to revitalize the group, but in the end, it seems the fandom has split again along Baekhyun and D.O. lines, with tensions reinforcing the original division within the
fanbase.”
The report continued, “After all the commotion that Baekhyun caused, it’s D.O. who ends up leaving first. When Baekhyun was creating that uproar, D.O.’s fans were sarcastically mocking him, and thinking about it now, it really shows who’s the fox and who’s the lamb in their relationship dynamic.
When D.O.’s movie flopped, he stayed quiet, and when the atmosphere was lifted with “GBRM: Reap What You Sow,” he handled things simply by “parting ways with his manager.” This naturally contrasts with Baekhyun, who was busy meeting with someone like MC Mong.”
EXO Leader Suho
The internal monitoring report also mentioned, “Meanwhile, Suho has reassured fans on Bubble that he’s committed to ensuring EXO’s group activities, even though it’s been a long time since EXO was able to promote as a full group, and it’s uncertain if fans even want a full-group
comeback.”
The report also highlighted the short promotional period of their comeback last year, stating, “Although fans expressed dissatisfaction over EXO’s music show promotions being too brief, concerns like “What if EXO wins first place but doesn’t get the chance to do an encore or fulfill any promises?” didn’t really materialize, making the complaints feel less justified. It’s understandable that fans feel disappointed given it’s been so long since the team’s comeback. However, as discussions circulate about potential internal reasons like how schedules were delayed due to CBX issues before the comeback or D.O.’s movie promotions immediately following, limiting the promotional period, the fandom’s atmosphere feels somewhat shaken.”
Chen and Xiumin
The agency also criticized Chen and Xiumin, “As for Chen and Xiumin, there wasn’t much left for them to lose in terms of their reputation. In reality, the power struggle within the team mainly centered around Baekhyun and D.O., with Baekhyun’s side now humbled.”
HYBE also discussed the wedding ceremony of Chen, held in October 2023, “Chen has two kids now and only recently had his wedding ceremony. It seems he spent an extraordinary amount on flowers. While it’s understandable that he’d want to make the event as grand as possible, fans seem to dislike these very “real husband” choices and feel they can never reconcile with them.
Photos from the event where EXO members attended were initially shared, which made fans happy. However, when it was later revealed who presided over the wedding, fans became upset, and many were also angry that “Butterfly Girl” was used as the background music. In the end, this conflict arises from differing perspectives on the “ownership” and “duration” of an idol’s identity. It feels like perhaps it’s time for EXO to let go of the concept of a full-group comeback.”
Notably, Lee Jae Sang, HYBE CEO, apologized to all the idols and industry professionals criticized and harmed in the report. However, this has not cooled down fans’ anger as more snippets from the 18,000-page-long report show HYBE’s perspective of other idols.
