HYBE’s controversial internal monitoring report has been in the news for the past week.
From the Jennie-V couple to Mingyu and Jeon Somi dating rumors, nearly everything is covered in the 18,000-page-long document.
Snippets from reports are going viral, where K-pop idols are criticized for their looks, and negative media tactics have been used to change the public perception.
The newly surfaced snippet offered a glimpse into the company’s strategy for handling sensitive issues – specifically, dating rumors surrounding its artists.
SEVENTEEN set a major setback last year, when dating rumors of member Joshua with a model surfaced online. He received a lot of backlash for months and experienced a decline in popularity.
In the internal report, a significant focus has been on dating rumors, especially concerning Joshua’s past scandal. To reassure fans, HYBE intended to use Seungkwan to boost his image.
HYBE discussed Mingyu’s livestream also played a role in this strategy, where he revealed Wonwoo is with him.
This helped reassure fans that the members continue to live together and share lives.
Additionally, referencing Wonwoo helped shift the spotlight away from the ongoing rumors regarding a supposed relationship between Mingyu and Somi that had been trending online.
The internal report stated, “There were rumors on DC that Mingyu was dating Jeon Somi, likely fueled by the Joshua situation. However, this Weverse live (mention of Wonwoo) quickly overshadowed those rumors.”
Their dating rumors surfaced when Mingyu along with Woozi and THE8 attended her album release party.
On another note, HYBE apologized to all the K-pop artists and industry officials ridiculed in the report.
