HYBE is receiving intense backlash from several fandoms after the internal report was made public on October 24.
Many of the parts of thousands of pages long documents are going viral, targeting K-pop idols, making fun of their appearances, and negative media play against K-pop groups of other agencies.
HYBE Apologizes for Criticism of K-pop Idols
On October 29, the newly-appointed CEO of HYBE Lee Jae Sang issued an apology letter after the criticism grew.
He stated, “We sincerely apologize to the artists, industry officials, and fans for our monitoring document.”
Lee explained, “The document was created to gather various reactions and opinions on industry trends and issues. It was shared only with some leaders to understand market and fan sentiment, but the content was highly inappropriate.”
He added, “We take full responsibility for the document’s harmful and provocative language toward K-pop artists, the inclusion of personal views and evaluations, and the fact that it was documented.”
Lee Jae Sang apologized once again, “We are deeply sorry and regretful for the harm and misunderstanding caused to innocent artists and members due to groundless reverse-viral suspicions.”
Regarding the artists mentioned in the document, he stated, “We officially and sincerely apologize to the external artists who suffered harm and pain. We are contacting their agencies directly to offer apologies.”
Lee Jae Sang apologized to HYBE Music Group’s artists, who faced criticism due to the company’s actions, saying, “We promise to prevent similar incidents by immediately halting the monitoring document’s creation, establishing guidelines, and strengthening internal controls.”
HYBE Fires the Author of Leaked Report
HYBE has reportedly taken swift action against a scandalous internal report criticized for its provocative and impersonal criticisms of K-pop idols. The report’s author, Mr. Kang was dismissed from his position on October 29, as reported by sources.
The “Weekly Music Industry Report” was sent weekly to HYBE executives and affiliates, but its contents revealed during a National Assembly audit caused outrage.
The shocking internal report contained malicious comments about other agencies and K-pop idols. It also some disturbing practices such as HYBE subscribing to notorious YouTuber Sojang, being aware of hate campaigns targeting Jungkook, delaying the restocking of V’s album “Layover,” and using Seungkwan to boost Joshua’s image after dating rumors last year, to name a few.
