On October 30, Sports Seoul reported that those directly and indirectly involved with the HYBE documents were shocked. Rather than fostering their own artists as role models in the K-Pop market, the company was found to have engaged in explicit criticism of rival artists and reverse viral strategies.
The industry is questioning HYBE’s practice of documenting hearsay-level stories. An executive from Agency A expressed disbelief that such reports have been regularly produced for years, “It’s upsetting to think the entire industry believes that such reports are standard practice. Even if analyzing, it shouldn’t involve disparaging external artists.”
An executive from Agency B remarked, “Creating such documents is highly risky. When hearsay is documented, it can be perceived as fact. This is problematic, even from a legislative perspective.”
A representative from Agency C stated, “Even those with over 20 years in the industry are taken aback. It’s hard to believe that strategies to diminish rival artists involve personal evaluations of their looks.”
Artists subjected to these evaluations are equally discontented. Although they have collaborated with HYBE artists in the past, future partnerships may be strained.
Representative D commented, “While discussions about trends are fine, it’s the first time I’ve seen years of such explicit documentation. It’s disheartening to think this reflects industry trends. Judging based on looks rather than talent is immature. Will we be able to collaborate with HYBE artists on challenges?”
There is growing concern that this document could dampen the K-Pop idol market. A representative noted, “Members of younger groups are quite close. It’s unfortunate that they face discomfort due to adult issues. There are many opportunities for collaboration and boosting each other’s visibility during music broadcasts, but it seems challenging to pursue such projects with HYBE now.”
Below are netizens’ reactions to the responses from industry insiders:
- HYBE-yah, sue yourself
- For real, what a crude and low-grade loser they are
- Who’s commenting on whose looks… seriously ㅋㅋㅋ
- Holy sh*t, HYBE, you are on your own in this early morning
- Seriously the fact that the criticism is coming from HYBE is just too ridiculous ㅋㅋㅋ
- That company’s ugly complex was on full display
Source: Daum
