Not every message must be tied to propaganda or a specific stance. In Jungkook’s case, his post might be more about expressing frustration as a professional artist rather than supporting one side over the other, like a personal diary entry.
Former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin is in ongoing conflict with HYBE, using NewJeans as her platform. Naturally, BTS members’ thoughts have become a focal point of public interest, given the group’s significant influence on HYBE’s stock value, even during their military service, where BTS still contributes 33% of HYBE’s total revenue.
Recently, Jungkook posted a message on his personal Instagram, used mainly to share his pet Jeon Bam’s daily life, saying, “Artists are not guilty.” He also added heart emojis in colors associated with NewJeans’ “The Powerpuff Girls” theme—blue, pink, yellow, green and purple—representing members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein, respectively. This led to speculation that Jungkook might be showing indirect support for NewJeans.
What do the words and emojis mean? The key may lie in the word “guilty”. This could be Jungkook’s way of saying artists should not be dragged into corporate disputes. Known for his exceptional talent in singing, dancing and performance, Jungkook is often seen as one of the most skilled BTS members.
The timing of Jungkook’s post is also noteworthy. It came shortly after NewJeans made a live broadcast, appearing in the midst of the power struggle between Min Hee-jin and HYBE. Some suggest Jungkook’s message might be a subtle jab at Min Hee-jin, who may be using younger artists like NewJeans to defend herself.
The emojis that seem to show support for NewJeans are understood in the same context. It’s not about siding with ADOR or Min Hee-jin. Rather, as fellow industry professionals, they are simply supporting these younger female artists.
The realistic aspects cannot be ignored. Currently, most of the BTS members are serving in the military, so as a group, which is on a break from profit-driven activities, the likelihood of them clashing with HYBE is low. These members, who love their careers more than anyone else, already renewed their contracts with HYBE in September 2023, recognizing Chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s efforts.
Typically, when idols reach a certain level of success, they leave their original agencies, but this precedent was broken, leading to a powerful surge in HYBE’s stock prices, which boosted the confidence of HYBE’s employees in their abilities. Chairman Bang even expressed his gratitude, saying, “It was a great comfort that they decided to hold my hand again” (on You Quiz, aired November 1, 2023), emphasizing the strong business loyalty between the seven members.
While HYBE is currently investigating Jungkook’s intentions, die-hard fans have speculated that his calm yet strong personality suggests his feelings are closer to the frustration of a public artist, caught between the tensions of Min Hee-jin and HYBE.
Source: daum
