HYBE Criticized for Allegedly Sabotaging SEVENTEEN’s “HAPPY BURSTDAY” Promotions

HYBE is once again facing intense criticism from fans after allegations surfaced that the company is sabotaging Seventeen’s latest album, HAPPY BURSTDAY. As the group promotes their electrifying title track “Thunder,” fans have raised concerns about mismanagement that could directly impact the group’s music show performance and chart rankings.

While Seventeen has made multiple appearances on Korean music shows with “Thunder,” K-pop fans know that songs are typically only eligible for music show wins in the second week of promotions. Alarm bells went off when a large Seventeen fanbase revealed that HYBE had abruptly delayed the shipping of the album and closed off pre-orders earlier than expected.

Fans Suspect Intentional Sales Suppression

According to the fan page’s observations, this delay and restriction may be a tactic to suppress album sales during the second and third week of release—critical windows for contributing to music show scores. Many fans are speculating that HYBE is trying to minimize Seventeen’s visibility in order to prioritize upcoming comebacks from other HYBE artists.

This has caused significant outrage among CARATs (Seventeen’s fandom), with netizens accusing HYBE of being unprepared despite Seventeen’s proven record of selling millions of albums. Fans noted that this isn’t the first time such mishandling has occurred during a Seventeen comeback, pointing to a pattern of distribution and shipping issues in the second week of promotions.

Hollywood Reporter Article Adds Fuel to the Fire

Previously, HYBE faced backlash after The Hollywood Reporter featured Seventeen in a profile titled “Summer of SEVENTEEN.” While the article was intended to celebrate the group’s global success and 10-year journey, several claims sparked debate among fans and netizens.

The tagline, which claimed Seventeen “fills more stadiums than Springsteen” and “sells as many albums as Taylor Swift,” was quickly criticized for exaggeration. While Seventeen did outsell Taylor Swift in 2023 with FML, fans argued the comparison lacked proper context. Similarly, claims about stadium tours and the title “world’s most successful K-pop band” were viewed as misleading or overly simplified.

Fans stressed that while Seventeen’s achievements are impressive, accurate representation matters—especially in Western media. Rather than inflated comparisons, many simply want the group’s hard-earned success to be acknowledged and respected on its own terms.

Mounting Frustration Within the Fandom

The frustration isn’t just about one instance—it reflects deeper concerns about how HYBE is managing one of its top-performing groups. Despite Seventeen’s consistent success and major sales figures, fans feel that the group continues to face internal obstacles that limit their promotional impact.

With HAPPY BURSTDAY marking Seventeen’s 10th anniversary, many hoped for a flawless rollout. Instead, the missteps surrounding the album’s release have fueled a wave of disappointment and reignited past grievances about how the group is prioritized within HYBE’s roster.