Starting in April 2024, the internal feud between HYBE Corporation and Min Hee Jin, the creator of NewJeans, shows no signs of ending. From public accusations and media leaks to the removal of Min Hee Jin as CEO, the escalating disputes within Korea’s leading entertainment giant have become increasingly complex.
Recent internal documents released during a hearing by the Korean National Assembly have caused further embarrassment for HYBE. The documents revealed potential sales manipulation for two of their key albums, LE SSERAFIM’s Unforgiven and ENHYPEN’s Dark Blood. HYBE allegedly inflated sales by using a “conditional return” strategy, where distributors purchased large quantities of albums that could be returned if unsold, creating artificial sales figures.
Amid this scandal, other internal documents revealed plans to gradually phase out NewJeans. The leaked files also included a damaging “compilation of disparaging remarks,” where HYBE criticized the talent and appearance of other K-pop groups, including aespa, RIIZE, and NMIXX. Members of TXT, Yeonjun and Soobin, were also compared unfavorably to NCT Dream and Stray Kids.
Among those targeted was aespa, who had already been criticized by Min Hee Jin during a press conference in April. HYBE officials made negative comments about aespa, claiming their lack of synchronization and teamwork was glaring, especially since their Girls promotion. One document stated, “There are four members, yet not a single moment shows them dancing in sync. It seems like they hardly practice, and their teamwork hasn’t improved at all.”
Even SEVENTEEN, one of HYBE’s biggest earners and a key group under Pledis Entertainment, wasn’t exempt. HYBE officials were said to have criticized SEVENTEEN’s appearance, suggesting that Pledis was overly confident in the group’s success and that the 13 members were not as visually impressive as believed.
The documents also revealed how HYBE had done nothing to resolve internal conflicts within BTS’s fandom, particularly between supporters of Jung Kook and Jimin. HYBE’s policies seemingly fueled divisions within the fanbases of individual BTS members, allowing fans to attack each other while resources were funneled to one member, leaving the other vulnerable to backlash. HYBE’s approach raised serious concerns about how they managed fan disputes and protected their artists.
These revelations have only worsened HYBE’s public image. Critics argue that the company’s fixation on collecting negative, trivial information and fostering internal conflicts has been a waste of resources. What was once a powerhouse in K-pop is now being mocked as a “temporary success” and the “laughingstock of the century” within the industry.
Source: K14