HYBE’s leaked internal report is making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
On October 24, the audit report was briefly made public when submitted to the National Assembly.
Many snippets from thousands of pages long audit reports are doing rounds on social media. The label is criticized for mocking K-pop idols and disturbing practices.
A snippet that is garnering attention is the strategy used by HYBE to boost Joshua’s declining popularity using Seungkwan after he was embroiled in dating rumors in August 2023.
On August 6, 2023, many posts surfaced online suggesting that the SEVENTEEN member is dating model Mi Young. They were seen sporting similar phone cases, bags, jackets, and accessories.
Following dating rumors surfaced, Joshua continued to receive hateful and malicious comments for months.
In the leaked internal audit report, a snippet from August 16, 2023, reveals their strategy to boost his image, “Currently, most fans still want to continue supporting SEVENTEEN despite the recent issues. Membership is a significant part of the team’s value, so extreme measures like Joshua’s departure aren’t the mainstream opinion. However, fans need some catalyst to move forward due to the painful nature of the incident.”
After the dating rumors surfaced in August 2023, SEVENTEEN was preparing to hold “Follow” concerts in Tokyo in September.
The label added, “In Japan, with the tour approaching, fans are reacting by only selling out individual goods for other members, not Joshua’s. Regardless, fans in East Asia share the common problem of emotional hurt, but their responses differ significantly in temperature. Japan’s fans were drawn to Joshua’s pairing with Jeonghan, so addressing this void is necessary.”
The report further revealed, “Seungkwan’s involvement is crucial now. The recent popularity of the Yoon & Boo combination could work well in Japan. Some fans who forgave Joshua early on still recall Joshua’s scene with Seungkwan in “In the Soop” and recognize Seungkwan’s role in reminding fans of Joshua’s team role.”
On the work front, SEVENTEEN is touring the US for their world tour “RIGHT HERE” after making a comeback on October 14 with the album “SPILL THE FEELS.”