Bang Si Hyuk Was Reportedly Aware Of The Shocking Internal HYBE Reports About Various Kpop Idols
Bang Si Hyuk, Chairman of HYBE, is reportedly involved in the internal distribution process of the controversial “HYBE internal report.”
Although HYBE CEO Lee Jae Sang issued an official apology, stating he “takes full responsibility” for the report’s creation and distribution, the fallout appears to be ongoing.
On the 29th of October, Ilgan Sports reported evidence that Chairman Bang Si Hyuk directly participated in the process of distributing the document to C-level executives at HYBE and its subsidiary labels. Bang reportedly instructed the inclusion of a newly appointed executive among the recipients of the document. While it’s unclear if he originally directed the report’s creation, critics suggest that his tacit approval of sharing such a provocative and impersonal report among senior executives leaves him accountable.
The CEO’s official apology doesn’t directly address Bang Si Hyuk’s role in the situation, which some observers argue gives the impression that Bang is letting staff take the blame while remaining in the background.
When Ilgan Sports reached out to HYBE’s PR team for comment, no official response was provided.
On the same day, CEO Lee Jae Sang acknowledged the document’s inappropriate content and apologized via HYBE’s official website, admitting that the report contained “provocative and explicit comments about K-pop artists, including personal opinions from the author, which should not have been documented or shared.”
In response, HYBE removed Mr. Kang, who was reportedly responsible for compiling the weekly “Weekly Music Industry Report,” from his position and announced an immediate cessation of such reports. However, as news surfaces of Bang Si Hyuk’s involvement in the distribution process, speculation arises that this may be an attempt to scapegoat Kang.
The internal report was reportedly routinely sent to top-level C-executives at HYBE and its subsidiary labels. The document became public on October 24 during a parliamentary inspection by Min Hyung Bae, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea. The report contained shocking remarks about domestic idol appearances, such as, “debuted at the age when they’re least attractive, none of them have idol-like features, and they’ve undergone excessive plastic surgery,” and “other members are surprisingly unattractive.”
After that initial report was leaked, the report’s contents continued to spread online, amplifying the backlash. Even SEVENTEEN’s Seungkwan, under HYBE Labels, expressed frustration, stating, “We are not people who have led such ordinary lives as to be easily judged and commented on by you. Don’t underestimate idols. We are not your commodities.”
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