HYBE has responded to the backlash over leaked internal documents that stirred controversy across the K-pop industry. The documents, initially revealed during a National Assembly audit, reportedly included derogatory remarks about artists from rival agencies such as Stray Kids, BLACKPINK, EXO, and NCT.
Controversy Over Leaked Documents
The confidential weekly reports, which spanned over 18,000 pages, were circulated among top HYBE executives. A leak of around 20 pages from the documents on Weverse Magazine caused outrage among fans and industry professionals. Many were shocked at the harsh comments directed at prominent artists from competing agencies.
Min Hee Jin, the former CEO of ADOR, had raised concerns about the report as early as April. In an internal email, she criticized the content for being biased and lacking objectivity. Following the leak, HYBE’s CEO Lee Jae Sang publicly apologized, labeling the document’s content “very inappropriate.” He assured that the company had ceased creating such reports and was implementing stricter internal controls.
Weverse Magazine released an additional statement on November 10, clarifying the controversy. They emphasized that the former editor-in-chief was solely responsible for the report and that the rest of the team had no involvement. This clarification followed suspicions that other team members participated in its creation.
HYBE explained that the controversial document was a separate task managed solely by the former editor-in-chief. The personnel involved in creating the report were not part of the Weverse Magazine team. After the editor-in-chief’s removal, HYBE placed them on standby and announced that further measures would follow after an internal review.
Addressing claims of reverse viral marketing, HYBE denied these allegations, describing them as baseless. The company is reportedly considering taking appropriate action against these false claims, which surfaced on social media.
HYBE also clarified how they have been addressing the fallout with affected agencies. The company reached out to each agency mentioned in the report through formal apologies delivered by CEO Lee Jae Sang. These apologies were conveyed via phone calls or official documents.
The controversy has highlighted the need for greater accountability within the industry. HYBE has assured fans and stakeholders that they are committed to preventing similar incidents in the future.
