Oh man.
In what I assumed was a easy procedural factor, HYBE reps attended an audit by the Nationwide Meeting yesterday as like an extension of the HYBE/ADOR saga, and we might have seen why Bang Si Hyuk didn’t need something to do with it. As a substitute, it was HYBE‘s COO and BELIFT LAB‘s CEO Kim Tae Ho who was the principle character, and he was grilled about inside paperwork that contained successfully oppo analysis and led to extra questions on sajaegi, amongst different issues.
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Let’s begin with the inner doc referred to as “HYBE Government Report: Business Developments Assessment”, which was a weekly report for C-level execs ready by the editor-in-chief of HYBE’s subsidiary Weverse Journal. It’s the factor inflicting most likely essentially the most mess proper now on-line on account of the truth that it successfully serves as oppo analysis on some fronts, as this abstract explains.
The paperwork brought about a lot dissent on social media. One such doc revealed the corporate’s plans for adverse media play concerning SM Leisure teams resembling aespa, RIIZE, and JYP Entertainment’s NMIXX. In accordance with a snippet of their inside paperwork, they’d deliberate adverse media play for aespa’s Coachella dwell singing, releasing previous images of a RIIZE member, accusing NMIXX of pandering to feminists, criticizing ZEROBASEONE and DKZ‘s visuals, and extra.
When Kim Tae Ho was requested whether or not it was true Bang Si Hyuk ordered this to be made a factor, he claimed he didn’t know.
On the NMIXX entrance, they talked about how they may use anti-feminist sentiment in opposition to them.
“There have been reviews {that a} ebook OOO was studying was launched as a ‘feminist ebook’ in male-dominated areas. This anthology options younger home authors, and I’m wondering what number of actively publishing younger Korean writers aren’t feminists. This commotion appears much less about considerably affecting OOO and extra about how when the staff struggles, it may very well be used to fire up drama round OOO attempting to leap on the feminist coin.”
In addition they described methods to defend TWS by utilizing RIIZE.
“In reality, many of the assaults on (TWS) might be defended with (RIIZE). If somebody says a member is ugly, you’ll be able to counter with previous images of (Sohee), and if somebody criticizes (Hanjin)’s dancing, you’ll be able to present (Anton), who’s nonetheless stiff. This has already turn into a repetitive sample in on-line communities like DC Inside.”
That’s virtually like mentioning they’ll use 4chan sentiment to their benefit.
Unsurprisingly, it appears like aespa was an enormous focus for HYBE, as on June 1, 2022 the doc revealed methods they may use Coachella in opposition to them.
All this time, concerning [redacted]’s dwell singing abilities, followers have been utilizing this argument as a defend, claiming that they’re good however the firm doesn’t allow them to achieve this, however it all crumbled at [redacted]. Now, their lip-syncing has turn into a difficulty once more, and the followers are redirecting hate in the direction of different instructions somewhat than on the group itself. We expect that SM fandoms are actually quick at redirection and distracting from the difficulty for certain. The corporate needs to be the villain as a way to defend the members utterly. It looks as if as a way to take care of the vibes of how they’re falling comparatively whereas different 4th technology woman teams are rising, blaming the corporate appears to be the best means.
Weirdly, they additionally evaluated SM Leisure pre-debut woman group.
“There’s been some buzz about SM’s new woman group with about eight candidates, however surprisingly, none of them are fairly. Contemplating the reactions to the seems of the group ○○○ that debuted again then, it’s a must to marvel if SM’s aesthetic sense has modified.”
That was referred to as out by an meeting member, particularly as a result of they have been speaking about minors in that means.
In addition they talked about former JYP Leisure woman group members (I assume a minimum of one is HyunA).
Moreover, concerning JYP‘s former woman group members, the report stated, “Members ○○ and ○○, who left group ○○○○, have had a lot cosmetic surgery that they’re practically unrecognizable. It’s clear they’ve been uncovered to an atmosphere that makes it onerous to take care of their psychological well being, which particularly reveals of their seems and sexual attraction. ○○ appears to point out related indicators.“
Unsure who these have been about, however you get the gist.
The disclosed report included criticism of different idols’ appearances. It acknowledged, “Being younger isn’t every little thing. They debuted a bunch when the members are at their ugliest. Nobody seems like an idol, they usually genuinely carry out like a center college expertise present.” It additional commented, “The opposite members are shockingly unattractive. It’s very clear why they haven’t succeeded.”
Relating to idols who appeared on a spread present, it stated, “The synergy of their unattractiveness is insufferable.”
HYBE idols have been additionally evaluated within the report, resembling “○○, who appears to hunt consideration by usually speaking about their struggles.”
Effectively, in addition they evaluated their very own teams, I suppose?
HYBE was then questioned about why this was a factor, to which they denied it was their opinion.
Through the audit, when requested by Democratic Social gathering Consultant Min Hyung Bae, “Why do you learn such reviews each week?” Kim Tae Ho, CEO of Belift Lab, responded, “As somebody concerned within the Okay-pop business, I evaluation many monitoring supplies on the business’s general public opinion. This isn’t HYBE’s official stance or judgment, however somewhat a set of on-line monitoring.”
A HYBE consultant additionally clarified, “The content material disclosed in the course of the nationwide audit is an edited model. It consists of not solely defamatory remarks but additionally numerous business developments. These are monitoring outcomes, not HYBE’s opinions.”
Through the midst of the audit, they launched an announcement that mainly states their response above, additionally threatening to seek out the leaker. That was then pulled down, presumably after they realized they have been nonetheless in the course of an audit.
The Nationwide Meeting then criticized them for not taking this significantly.
Jeon Jae Soo: This Nationwide Meeting audit is being performed lawfully beneath the South Korean Structure. You’ve got come right here as a witness and have ample alternative to talk. Due to this fact, it is vitally inappropriate for the corporate to reply in such a way concerning the inquiries and responses between the committee members and the witness whereas the audit is ongoing. As head of the committee, I need to specific how inappropriate that was and that you must apologize. How can HYBE problem an announcement like that whereas the audit is in progress?
Kim Tae Ho: I’m terribly sorry, however I’ve not been in a position to see the stated assertion but.
Jeon Jae Soo: Member Min Hyung Bae learn it to you.
Kim Tae Ho: Was that the entire assertion? I don’t have any data on it, so…
Jeon Jae Soo: It doesn’t matter if that was the entire assertion or not. You have been chosen as a witness by the committee and the committee is at the moment engaged in a Q&A session. For the corporate to problem an announcement in any means whereas the audit is being performed makes the audit appear meaningless and undermines the authority of the Nationwide Meeting. Is that acceptable? Is HYBE not taking the Nationwide Meeting significantly?
HYBE finally apologized for the assertion on account of rising backlash.
We launched the assertion as a result of, throughout at this time’s Nationwide Meeting audit, there have been quite a few media inquiries concerning our stance on the matters associated to us, to the extent that it was tough to reply to each individually.
Moreover, we assessed that content material not addressed within the Nationwide Meeting audit, in addition to content material that was proven blurred in the course of the audit, have been being distorted and unfold on-line at a major velocity.
Thus, we determined to put up the assertion to promptly reply to media inquiries and stop the amplification of incorrect data.
As I discussed earlier, we definitely didn’t intend to disrespect the Nationwide Meeting. We hereby acknowledge that issuing the assertion in the course of the Nationwide Meeting audit was a transparent mistake on our half.
Effectively, definitely didn’t see that mess coming. And in contrast to the earlier step on aespa factor that may very well be performed off for jokes, the contents listed here are extra malicious in nature, so followers clearly are extra outraged regardless of the denials.
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Maybe much more notably, they have been questioned on the allegation of sajaegi, and when confronted with proof didn’t actually appear to have solutions that confirmed they hadn’t executed it a minimum of previously.
At first, Kim Tae Ho denied having performed sajaegi by means of bulk-buying and returning CDs, solely to be proven a company alternate in an inside HYBE channel about plans for the matter. Though Kim Tae Ho has admitted to a number of the workers members utilizing the returns methodology to push gross sales after being proven documented proof, he continued to assert that the corporate itself doesn’t agree with it and ergo has by no means tried to conduct sajaegi to push numbers. His opposite phrases have led to followers believing that he by chance admitted to the suspicions.
The dialog one way or the other makes it look extra sketchy.
Kim Tae Ho: “We now have by no means executed offers the place we purchase up albums on the situation of returning them later [in order to push numbers].”
Assemblyman: “Then we are going to present you an inside doc. There’s an electronic mail dated February 4, 2023. Should you look right here, it clearly states ‘returns proceedings undertaking.”
Kim Tae Ho: “The content material you’ve proven is concerning what I’ve simply talked about. The albums that have been offered in 2023, have been returned in 2024, and after reviewing this, sooner or later we are going to now not be utilizing such strategies for gross sales.”
Assemblyman: “Let me present you yet another [document]. An extra order of a minimal of 70,000 albums purchased on the situation of returns, with the utmost buy being 200,000. What is that this about?”
Kim Tae Ho: “After we obtained many queries about such issues, we now have realized that we can not do that and-”
Assemblyman: “So are you saying that you’ve got been doing this all this whereas, however proper now you’re not?”
Kim Tae Ho: “As I’ve stated beforehand, this isn’t our firm’s path. Nevertheless, we now have confirmed {that a} portion of the workers determined to make use of this returns methodology, and in accordance with our firm’s guidelines, we now have laid down tips to stop this from taking place sooner or later.”
It’s considerably wonderful how there’s so many rogue workers that do these items that solely profit HYBE as an organization as a substitute of them individually. Sooner or later it kinda appears like Colonel Jessup on the stand with all this technical defenses that they didn’t do sajaegi particularly, simply one thing … loads prefer it to spice up gross sales on paper over a sure time interval presumably for mediaplay.
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In a little bit of irony, HYBE’s defenses for this sound loads like Min Hee Jin’s when her inside stuff will get leaked that makes her look horrible. That it’s mainly true however has been manipulated and/or is lacking context, and mainly publishing the cyberwrecker analysis to different c-suites all through the corporate and never with the ability to refute sajaegi solidly are brutal seems.
So far as what’ll really occur on account of all this? I’m truthfully unsure. I imply these things is political present to some extent now, and there’s no assure something will occur apart from politicians attempting to attain factors for one agenda or one other. Thus, like many issues within the leisure enterprise, the precise price for HYBE is one other hit to their popularity and notion, not solely because of the revealed contents however how they’ve dealt with this complete saga.