On the 29th, the hashtag “#SEVENTEEN_LeaveHYBE” trended on X (formerly Twitter), likely spurred by the recent controversy over HYBE’s internal report evaluating artists’ appearances.
SEVENTEEN fans expressed their anger, condemning HYBE’s “inhumane actions,” including “documenting and leading negative PR activities against artists from other companies, covering up staff overwork fatalities, ostracizing their own artists, manipulating album and streaming numbers, and exploiting external partners.”
Fans further demanded the resignation of those involved, stating, “We join this boycott with demands for HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk to return to Korea, attend the National Assembly audit, and address the National Tax Service investigation into HYBE. We also call for a thorough examination of those associated with HYBE’s ‘Music Industry Report’ and demand the resignation of responsible officials.”
That same morning, SEVENTEEN’s Seungkwan shared a heartfelt message on social media, saying, “I don’t want to see any more pain inflicted on us. While I’ve been watching everything unfold, I have tried to just carry on with my members. But we’re not just items you can use at your convenience.” He added, “Stop causing wounds that can’t be healed. I don’t want to see our fans, my members, our colleagues, and the staff who have been genuinely supporting us continue to suffer.”
Seungkwan’s anger, shared by Carat, stems from a report shown during the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee’s audit on the 24th. The report, titled “Weekly Music Industry Report,” contained insensitive evaluations of various idol group members’ appearances, including SEVENTEEN, with harsh criticisms directed at idols from other agencies. This sparked public outrage due to the extreme nature of the evaluations.
HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang issued an apology on the company’s website, saying, “We apologize to the artists, industry colleagues, and fans for the company’s monitoring document. We fully acknowledge the fault in retaining such provocative language, personal opinions, and unfiltered assessments in a formal document.” He added that HYBE feels a strong sense of responsibility for this incident.
As of the 29th, the author of HYBE’s internal report has been removed from his position.
Source: Ilgan Sports
