During a National Assembly audit on Thursday, it was revealed that a subsidiary of HYBE, the agency behind the K-pop sensation BTS, had compiled a “trend report” that included online commentary regarding the appearances of underage idol group members. HYBE’s decision to distribute a statement concerning this document during the audit drew sharp criticism from lawmakers, leading to an apology from HYBE.
Representative Min Hyung Bae of the Democratic Party disclosed the “internal industry trend review” during South Korea’s National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee hearing. The report contained phrases such as “They debuted a bunch of members at an age when they’re bound to be unattractive, and none of them have idol-like features,” “There has been excessive plastic surgery,” and “The other members are surprisingly unattractive.” The individuals referenced in these comments were not identified, nor were the sources disclosed. However, it is reported that the document compiled reactions from online communities and was prepared by a subsidiary of HYBE for internal reference by select company officials.
Rep. Min criticized the document, stating, “These evaluations of appearance and derogatory language target minors,” describing it as “a dehumanizing perception and attitude towards idols.” Kim Tae Ho, Chief Operating Officer of HYBE, responded, “As a company in the K-pop industry, we closely monitor public opinion regarding our artists and K-pop as a whole. The document referenced is just one example of that.” He clarified that the comments related to appearance “do not reflect HYBE’s official opinions or judgments, but are a compilation of various online posts.”
HYBE’s issuance of a statement during the hearing, asserting that “the document was created by excerpting reactions from communities and social media to share industry trends and issues with a small number of internal staff for reference, and does not represent HYBE’s position,” also faced backlash. Culture Committee Chairman Jeon Jae Soo criticized the company, stating, “How can you undermine this audit and disrespect the authority of Congress by stating while questions and answers are ongoing?”
COO Kim acknowledged the misstep: “Issuing a statement during the hearing was a clear error, and I sincerely apologize once again.” HYBE has since deleted the statement in question. He added, “We regret that this series of events has caused significant fatigue for many. We believe that the fundamental mission of an entertainment company is to bring joy to fans and the public, and there have indeed been many disappointments this year. We will work to ensure that such issues do not lead to further fatigue in the future.”