HYBE under fire as internal report reveals defamatory remarks about rival idol groups

It has been confirmed that HYBE's industry trend report, prepared for internal use only, contains multiple defamatory remarks about other idols.

In a part of the weekly "Music Industry Report" for HYBE executives, disclosed during a comprehensive national audit by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee on October 24, evaluations of other entertainment agencies' idols regarding their appearance, private lives, and abilities were summarized.

The weekly report was written by Editor A, who previously worked as a music critic and is currently the editor-in-chief of HYBE's subsidiary Weverse Magazine.

The disclosed report included criticism of other idols' appearances. It stated, "Being young isn’t everything. They debuted a group when the members are at their ugliest. No one looks like an idol, and they genuinely perform like a middle school talent show." It further commented, "The other members are shockingly unattractive. It's very clear why they haven't succeeded."

Regarding idols who appeared on a variety show, it said, "The synergy of their unattractiveness is unbearable."

Additionally, concerning HYBE's 'R U Next' and SM Entertainment's new girl group, the report mentioned, "There's been some buzz about SM's new girl group with about eight candidates, but surprisingly, none of them are pretty. Considering the reactions to the looks of the group ○○○ that debuted back then, you have to wonder if SM's aesthetic sense has changed."

The report also mentioned another SM group, saying, "Most attacks on ○○○ can be defended by ○○○. When someone says this member is ugly, they counter with past photos of member ○○. This has already become a repetitive pattern in online communities like DC Inside."

Furthermore, regarding JYP's former girl group members, the report said, "Members ○○ and ○○, who left group ○○○○, have had so much plastic surgery that they're nearly unrecognizable. It's clear they've been exposed to an environment that makes it hard to maintain their mental health, which especially shows in their looks and sexual appeal. ○○ seems to show similar signs."

The report also directly evaluated other idols' stage performances, saying, "Fans of ○○○ have been using the logic that the company doesn't let the better performers sing live, but Coachella shattered that. The fandom quickly shifted their blame away from the group." It added, "SM fandoms are fast in redirecting issues to protect members. In such cases, the company has to play the villain."

HYBE idols were also evaluated in the report, such as "○○, who seems to seek attention by often talking about their struggles."

The report also contained information on online viral strategies and response plans related to HYBE and other companies' idols, along with defamatory content circulating on online communities and social media.

This report was previously mentioned by former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. On May 24, she stated, "ADOR has raised objections to the 'Industry Trend Review' document circulated internally by Editor A, pointing out the need for factual accuracy and minimal objectivity." She added, "I don't understand why such a subjective and biased document, lacking credibility, is distributed to the company's executives as if it represents the company's official stance."

HYBE responded at the time, saying, "The Industry Trend Report is an internal document that collects and analyzes subjective consumer reactions and issues, along with quantitative metrics like chart performance, to offer improvement suggestions. It does not represent HYBE's stance or evaluations of artists."

Attorney Roh Jong Un from Law Firm Jonjae commented, "The content includes numerous defamatory and false statements specifically targeting certain idols from other major companies, potentially constituting defamation. Although it is intended for internal use, the fact that it was leaked externally suggests the possibility that employees outside the executive level may have accessed it."

The report was publicly disclosed during the ongoing national audit by the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee on October 24.

During the audit, when asked by Democratic Party Representative Min Hyung Bae, "Why do you read such reports every week?" Kim Tae Ho, CEO of Belift Lab, responded, "As someone involved in the K-pop industry, I review many monitoring materials on the industry's overall public opinion. This is not HYBE's official stance or judgment, but rather a collection of online monitoring."

A HYBE representative also clarified, "The content disclosed during the national audit is an edited version. It includes not only defamatory remarks but also various industry trends. These are monitoring results, not HYBE's opinions."