I feel like people are getting confused about the term, both the ones who use and the ones who argue against 
When I personally use this term I don't simply mean "Hybe charts payola" or "Hybe buying gigs" but overall the investment they are able to make for their groups, which includes of course investment in talent and creativity that works on their content.
Make no mistake, stuff that Hybe puts out is quality above the rest of the industry and it only makes sense their groups are popular. But that in itself can be considered "payola" in a way, because other cannot afford it. I can't blame Ive for falling behind NewJeans for example not just because they can't afford payola or gigs but also because they don't have all the creative people Hybe has gathered, which makes them pretty generic.
Everything about Ive is generic. Generic pop songs, generic MVs, generic choreographys, generic promotions. Generic doesn't mean bad btw, it just means that it is nothing new or revolutionary. And it works when it works. But NewJeans are unique in every way and even others copy them now.
What I am saying is, for example, Twice would've never been able to compete with BP and Teddy if they didn't get lucky with BEP having their best creative period ever. And Gidle would've never come this far without Soyeon's talent. But Hybe groups don't need luck or perfect storm. The system is working like clock 
