“The livestream was all staged. They were baiting us.”

Netizens claimed HYBE‘s alleged media play is proof that the ILLIT incident was staged.

On May 16, a post titled “Hate For NewJeans Grow…. ILLIT Wonhee, Fans React To Malicious Comments” went viral. In the post, the author uploads an article in which a news outlet falsely claims that due to a viral incident involving Wonhee, netizens were now against NewJeans.

Previously, during a ILLIT livestream, Wonhee was seen reporting hate comments. Netizens, however, found it suspicious that a HYBE staff would deliberately show her the hate comments on a separate phone and alleged that the whole incident was staged.

Netizens reacted to the article with criticism and mocked HYBE for their alleged media play.

• “This is why you guys (HYBE) are being canceled.”
• “Leave the artists alone. This is pathetic (HYBE).”
• “Who is the person behind HYBE’s PR strategy…”
• “People didn’t sympathize with ILLIT because we knew you guys would do some s*it like this.”
• “HYBE, your standards are so low. I see you deleted yesterday’s post after it sparked more criticism towards you.”
• “Lies.”
• “I’ve never seen an article written this way. It is the first time I’ve seen ‘Hate Grows’ when talking about an artist.”

Fans also claimed that this was proof that the ILLIT incident was indeed staged.

• “Why are you guys like this? You guys know better.”
• “Articles like this is exactly why they had ILLIT go on a livestream and why they handed them the cellphone, lol.”
• “The livestream was all staged. They were baiting us.”
• “Hate Grows, wow…”
• “They got it all wrong. Almost all of the hate is targeting HYBE. To claim hate is growing for NewJeans is crazy.”
• “??? Isn’t this too blatant? Isn’t (deleting comments) what the staff members are for? Lol.”

What are your thoughts?