BTOB Company’s Lack of Communication Leaves Fans Frustrated, BTOB Company Speaks Out “We Take This Matter Seriously”
BTOB Company, a newly established label under entertainment company DOD, managing 4 out of 6 BTOB members, is facing criticism for poor communication and mismanagement. Fans argue that using the group’s name for a four-member unit disrespects BTOB’s identity and brand value.
The issue escalated when the company scheduled a four-member concert under the name “BTOB” on December 27–29, overlapping with Lee Changsub’s already announced and sold-out solo concert. This forced some fans to cancel their tickets and repurchase them for the other concert, incurring additional fees.
In an attempt at damage control, BTOB Company released a YouTube video, “2025 BTOB New Year’s Gathering,” featuring all six members. However, it worsened the situation.
During the gathering, Lee Changsub mentioned his encore concert, but leader Seo Eunkwang seemed unaware, responding, “Oh, really? When is it?” The lack of communication was apparent as other members remained silent.
Later, Seo Eunkwang suggested avoiding overlapping events, while Lee Changsub stressed the need for better communication. However, Lee Minhyuk dismissed the concern, and Im Hyunsik acknowledged that some overlaps were inevitable. BTOB Company edited the video to highlight Lee Changsub’s comments, which fans interpreted as supportive of the overlaps.
Ultimately, Yook Sungjae stepped in, saying, “The agencies need to communicate better. That’s the best solution.” He further added, “At the end of the day, we are only united because of Melody (the fanbase). Without Melody, I wouldn’t even see my hyungs.”
With growing frustration among fans, BTOB Company addressed these concerns.
BTOB Company stated, “BTOB Company was established with the hope that the name ‘BTOB’ would be with the fans forever. We hold the trademark and the rights to use the name ‘BTOB’ under a formal contract. However, it is not possible to register a new trademark or engage in activities under a name similar to ‘BTOB’. Therefore, future activities under BTOB Company will proceed under the team name ‘BTOB’, not a new unit name.”
Regarding the domestic and international membership activities, the statement continued, “BTOB Company and the members wanted to engage in membership activities together, but due to various situations, we were unable to do so. To minimize confusion, we decided to open the domestic membership under the current name, and the Japanese membership has been renewed after discussions with the relevant parties. We are continuing to coordinate for smoother operations.“
Addressing the concert schedule overlap controversy, they explained, “We inquired about booking multiple venues for the year-end concerts starting from April 2024, and we submitted a venue request for the Jamsil Student Gymnasium on July 17. The approval process was completed on September 10, and we received the venue usage permit on September 25. However, at that time, we were still discussing various activity plans, so we couldn’t announce the concert immediately. We later realized the issue of overlapping concert dates and considered various possibilities for rescheduling. However, due to practical constraints such as venue booking, rescheduling was not possible. We take this matter very seriously and are communicating with all parties involved to ensure such issues do not arise in the future. Through this incident, we promise to prepare more carefully for BTOB’s and the fans’ valuable time.”
