As if it wasn't obvious when YG was paying random twitter users to hype BP, mediaplaying with name dropping BTS and Twice or doing Youtube payola. For some it still isn't, because there was always a room for denial since there wasn't a hard proof.
But now with Hybe scandal, stepping on Aespa thing, NJ suddenly losing half of their Spotify streams, MHJ talking about companies doing album it is so fucking obvious that "pay to win" and "fake it till make it" are in the textbook of these companies. I think in the future we will also get hard evidence of companies paying to tarnish rival idols' image. For now it is speculation but it all adds up.