"HYBE Executive’s ‘Report’ Causes Widespread Industry Impact… Is it an ‘Opinion’ or ‘Transmission’? [Exclusive Report]"
The entertainment agency HYBE's 'Music Industry Report' created for executive viewing is causing industry-wide ripples.
This document, created within HYBE, was first revealed during the comprehensive audit of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee on the 24th.
The document, which has been further obtained, includes content that bluntly evaluates the appearances of not only HYBE's idols but also those from other entertainment agencies. Additionally, it includes mentions of personal controversies, public opinion on online communities, and viral marketing opinions.
This report, which is circulated weekly, was distributed by A, a former music critic and now the editor-in-chief of Weverse Magazine, which is published by HYBE's subsidiary, Weverse Company. It was sent via email to HYBE executives, including Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
According to portions of the original 'Music Industry Report' obtained by this media outlet, the document contains information not only about major agencies like SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment but also about numerous idols from other entertainment agencies like Cube Entertainment and Starship Entertainment.
According to a HYBE official, the most problematic part of this report, which contains unedited portions of the original document, is the evaluation of idols' physical appearances.
Regarding an idol from a small entertainment agency, it said, "None of the members have notable features, and it genuinely looks like they are performing at a middle school talent show," adding, "The other members are shockingly unattractive. The reason they haven't become popular is very clear."
Regarding another idol who appeared on an entertainment program, it said, "The synergy of unattractiveness is at a level that is unbearable."
About the debut of a new girl group from SM Entertainment, it said, "Surprisingly, none of them are pretty." It also referenced a group from YG Entertainment, stating, "I wondered if their trainee infrastructure was worse than this group’s, but when I remember how shocked everyone was by their appearance when group ○○○ debuted, it makes me wonder if SM’s aesthetic sense has fundamentally changed."
Regarding a former JYP Entertainment idol member, it commented, "They’ve undergone so much plastic surgery that they are almost unrecognizable. It’s clear that they've been exposed to environments for a long time where it's hard to mentally defend against concerns about their appearance and sexual appeal."
This content was also criticized during the National Assembly's audit on the 24th. Min Hyung-bae, a representative from the Democratic Party, stated, "This is problematic because these evaluations involve minors," adding, "The report contains dehumanizing perceptions and attitudes toward idols." Yoo In-chon, the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, who was present, said, "I believe the expressions and assessments are excessive."
The report directly mentioned personal controversies, lack of talent, and other issues not only about HYBE's idols but also those from other entertainment agencies.
Regarding the North American tour of a YG Entertainment group, it stated, "The group's rise began at Coachella, and it seems they are preparing a similar strategy for Europe." It also noted, "There was fraudulent voting in the ○○○ (an award ceremony), and most of the fraudulent votes went to ○○○○. This might be due to the involvement of ○○'s overseas fandom."
Regarding SM Entertainment's ○○○ member ○○, the report also conveyed information on the agency's actions. It said, "It seems there has definitely been some sort of change recently, whether they've increased their monitoring staff or changed their feedback system." It continued, "It seems like SM, which used to be a 'master of ignoring' ('먹금' meaning to ignore malicious comments or issues), has now decided they can't continue like this. Recently, the reaction toward ○○ has been particularly negative, but just then, ○○ anonymously donated 10 million won to an animal rescue organization."
Regarding ○○'s donation, it said, "The fact that it wasn't just any organization, but specifically an animal rescue group, feels like an extremely Twitter-friendly choice." It added, "The fact that exactly 10 million won was donated is also suspiciously convenient. Apparently, once the donation reaches 10 million won, donor verification processes are required, so it can't be completely anonymous. It seems like they've quickly picked up on issues trending on Twitter and responded excessively. This might even suggest that their usual strategy is starting to waver."
Additionally, in response to fellow member ○○○ appearing on a variety show, it said, "○○○ buying a watermelon on the way home, carrying it with exaggerated effort, then clumsily making punch and eating it—all of that seemed absurdly staged." It also criticized, saying, "The scene where a staff member suddenly brought up ○○'s donation to an animal shelter while doing their makeup, emphasizing the heartwarming story, was overly cheesy."
Regarding another member, ○○, it commented, "There's been talk that while they go around hyping things up everywhere, they're actually just texting on their phone the whole time. There's even gossip that they were messaging their boyfriend during filming."
Regarding the Cube Entertainment group (○○)○○○, it stated, "They wrote vertical letters on the members' faces as if tattooing them with thick lines, and even the company told them to take photocard pictures with that makeup on." It continued, "(○○)○○○'s success can be attributed to the will of ○○○ (member name) and the other members, while it seems the company still doesn't know what this team is doing, based on certain episodes."
Additionally, it noted, "Without properly managing the team's vision, the song '○○' became a hit, but the underlying problems remained unresolved and festered internally, creating an atmosphere that feels like a thorn lodged in a crisis situation. That said, it’s unlikely that ○○○ resolved its own contradictions smoothly in this album."
About the group ○○○○○ from a small agency, it mentioned, "They released a dance practice video for the song ‘○○,’ which features all 16 members. At some point, they completely abandoned the exploratory approach of the 'original Gangbuk ○○○ (HYBE group)' and instead adopted a general show and late Japanese idol vibe, especially evident in this dance practice video." It added, "This song has been promoted as a ‘super large’ performance since the overseas tour began, but it seems that merely having a lot of members doesn’t necessarily mean it's super large. The choreography is quite clumsy, and it’s difficult to see the members' styling or practice state as anything above a university club level."
It also reported reactions regarding the Starship Entertainment group ○○○. The report stated, "Particularly, ○○○'s performance has suddenly soared, leading many to question the actual popularity of the team. There are also quite a few attempts to cast a negative image around ○○○ (member name), making it a risky situation for them to show swagger too hastily."
Alongside that, it noted, "Considering the controversy around the perceived reactions to ‘○○○ ○○’ (song title) stems from the temperature difference between those in their early twenties and those over thirty, it's possible that elementary school students might respond favorably to ○○○, but whether that qualifies as a ‘mass phenomenon’ could raise suspicions about intentional viral marketing."
It also referred to a story about its own group member ○○ attending another affiliated singer ○○'s concert, saying, "This time, they went too confidently, which seems to have led to the trolls being surprisingly quiet." It further commented, "The dating rumors surrounding ○ (member name) might actually give other members more freedom in their personal lives," adding, "If there's a real relationship, there’s no reason for the ○○ delusion to be taken seriously."
Moreover, while analyzing the trends on online communities and social media, the report identified viral marketing points related to its own idols. This was primarily limited to the group affiliated with the company.
Regarding the initial performance of the HYBE group ○○○○, it stated, "With the girl group’s initial sales now at a million copies, it might be necessary to categorize ○○○○ (YG Entertainment) - ○○○○ (HYBE) - ○○○ (SM Entertainment) - ○○○ (Starship Entertainment) differently from the fourth-generation narrative." It added, "'○○○' was something we struggled with for days, but it could just be a matter of abandoning 'New' and setting up a new board."
It also said, "During ○○○'s (SM Entertainment) comeback week, it will be important for ○○○○ (HYBE) to control interesting and cute issues to keep coming out," suggesting, "Even if it’s trivial, it’s good to keep conveying a desire to share and empathize with fans."
