Bang Si-hyuk Directly Involved in Sharing of HYBE’s Internal Document “Responsibility Inevitable”
Although HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang officially apologized, acknowledging his responsibility for the creation and internal sharing of the report, the fallout is expected to continue.
On October 29, Ilgan Sports uncovered that Bang Si-hyuk was directly involved in the process of sending the document to the top executives, including C-level leaders at HYBE and its subsidiary labels.
It has been revealed that Bang Si-hyuk instructed the inclusion of a newly appointed executive as a recipient of the document. Although it has not been confirmed whether Bang Si-hyuk initially ordered the report’s creation, his allowance of the circulation of such a provocative and impersonal document among senior executives raises questions about his responsibility in the matter.
Critics point out that while the CEO has taken responsibility with a public apology, the real issue lies with Bang Si-hyuk, who is positioned above the C-level executives and appears to be hiding behind his subordinates.
Ilgan Sports reached out to HYBE’s PR team for an official statement but did not receive a response.
On the same day, HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang posted an apology on the company’s official website, stating, “I fully acknowledge the mistakes made in including provocative and harsh expressions about K-pop artists, adding personal views and evaluations, and leaving such content in an official document. I accept full responsibility on behalf of the company.” He acknowledged the inappropriateness of the document and apologized.
HYBE also announced the dismissal of Kang, the individual responsible for compiling the “Weekly Music Industry Report” containing the provocative content, and confirmed the discontinuation of the report. However, with the revelation of Bang Si-hyuk’s involvement in the sharing process, critics have suggested this might be a case of scapegoating.
The internal report in question was sent weekly to C-level executives at HYBE and its subsidiary labels. The controversy erupted when part of the report was revealed during a parliamentary inspection by Democratic Party lawmaker Min Hyung-bae on October 24. The report included harsh critiques of idols’ appearances, such as, “They debuted while still in their ‘ugly phase’, so none of them have idol-like features, and their plastic surgery is too obvious” and “Other members are shockingly unattractive.” The content caused widespread shock.
HYBE responded by explaining, “The monitoring report disclosed during the parliamentary session is a document that compiles various reactions and opinions from fandoms and the industry. It was shared internally with a small number of staff for reference and does not reflect HYBE’s stance.”
Despite this explanation, further details of the report were leaked online, amplifying the backlash. The situation escalated when Seungkwan, a member of HYBE’s group SEVENTEEN, criticized, “We are not individuals to be easily judged or spoken about. Please don’t take idols lightly. We are not your items.” His words expressed strong criticism of the report’s content.
Source: Nate
