In the aftermath of an audit with the National Assembly on October 24, 2024, HYBE found itself in the middle of a public relations storm. Internal documents revealed during the audit contained potentially damaging information, including allegations that the company had sabotaged artists from other entertainment companies. The revelations led to heated discussions on social media and raised serious concerns about HYBE’s practices.

Details of the Leaked Documents

The documents allegedly included plans to orchestrate negative media play against groups from rival companies such as aespa, RIIZE, and NMIXX. Specific tactics mentioned in the document included criticizing aespa’s live performance at Coachella, releasing past photos of a RIIZE member, and accusing NMIXX of promoting feminist agendas.

HYBE’s Now-Deleted Statement

In response to the backlash, HYBE quickly posted a statement on their official website addressing the situation. The statement denied that the leaked documents represented the company’s official stance, suggesting that the negative comments were merely reflections of online discussions captured by internal staff for reference purposes.

This is HYBE’s official statement. On October 24, the company documents used for monitoring at the audit by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Tourism were publicized, leading to various reactions by fandoms and industries, as well as articles from the press.

The contents (industry direction and issues) were only shared with a small portion of internal staff for reference and simply reflected the reactions from social media and online communities verbatim, and does not constitute HYBE’s official stance.

The report in question also contains positive reviews from fans and things that people in the entertainment industry should take note of.

Provocative parts of the report were cherry-picked and leaked externally to make it seem as if HYBE had criticized other artists in our documents. We will make the powers that conducted this take responsibility to the end.

— HYBE

The statement further claimed that the provocative parts of the report had been cherry-picked by those who leaked the information, framing the company in a negative light. HYBE vowed to hold the individuals responsible for the leak accountable. However, the statement was quickly removed from their website, fueling even more suspicion.

Fan Reactions and Industry Impact

Fans and netizens have expressed outrage over the leaked documents, especially since the negative media tactics seemed to target not just HYBE’s competitors but also specific members of those groups. The speed at which HYBE removed its statement has only added to the growing concerns about the company’s transparency.

For more details and updates on HYBE’s response, stay connected to VvipTimes.