HYBE’s internal documents have sparked considerable discussion recently, especially since they referenced K-Pop groups from other companies. Amid the information circulated, one viral tweet claimed that these documents included a list of popular “ships,” or fan-created romantic pairings, often same-sex, between group members.
The tweet presented a list of “ships” involving groups like aespa, NCT, BTS, and SEVENTEEN, suggesting that these fictional pairings contribute to a group’s popularity. While fans’ interest in member relationships can indeed influence fan engagement, is this the whole picture?
In HYBE’s documents, fanfiction was mentioned multiple times. One reference noted that a TXT release appeared inspired by fanfiction involving a romantic storyline between members Yeonjun and Beomgyu. Another section highlighted how some fans, particularly those of NCT, engage in fanfiction on platforms like Postype, where the top-ranked stories are often adult-rated (NC) fanfics, with NCT frequently leading in popularity. HYBE’s document critiques this intense focus on fictional romances, describing it as outdated fangirling and a hallmark of SM fandoms.
However, the list in question was not part of the HYBE documents. The viral tweet actually originated from an August 2024 post listing popular pairings on Postype, including the volume of fanfics for each. While it’s possible that HYBE considered these trends in its analysis, there’s no confirmation that this specific list appeared in any leaked HYBE documents.
Source: KrB
