HYBE, one of the powerhouse agencies in K-Pop, has often been associated with chart dominance and consistent success. However, recently, fans and netizens observed an unusual sight, the absence of any HYBE artists on Melon’s Top 100, the leading music chart in South Korea.
A netizen posted a snapshot of the Melon Top 100 on October 24, highlighting popular artists currently leading the charts, such as BLACKPINK’s Rosé and Jennie, aespa as a group, and aespa’s Karina as a solo act. Also featured on the list was JYP’s DAY6, a rock-pop group with a dedicated fanbase. The poster shared that they “liked” the chart’s appearance, sparking comments from other netizens about the noticeable absence of HYBE’s artists.
Interestingly, most of the current Top 100 artists represented the “Big 3” K-Pop agencies: YG Entertainment (Jennie and Rosé), SM Entertainment (aespa and Karina), and JYP Entertainment (DAY6). Some songs on the list were recent releases, but others, such as DAY6’s “Happy,” had been out since March, making HYBE’s absence even more notable.
Many commenters welcomed this change, celebrating the chart’s Big 3 presence and expressing a sense of nostalgia or satisfaction over HYBE’s apparent downturn. The post quickly drew comments:
- “The unification of the Big 3.”
- “I really like this.”
- “It feels like HYBE is facing a downtrend.”
- “Good.”
- “Whoa! These are the very fundamentals.”
- “HYBE’s downfall is so satisfying. I wish they would fail harder.”
- “Wow, these are really the OG agencies.”
The conversation around HYBE’s artists missing from the charts arrives alongside rising scrutiny of HYBE following recent allegations aired during a National Assembly audit, where claims about negative media tactics surfaced, adding to the public’s watchful eye on the agency.
Source: Krb
