Recently, a post on X sparked widespread discussion, accusing HYBE of attempting to exploit BTS’s name to promote most of its new groups, while also claiming that the company was using profits from BTS’s projects and members to create and fund other groups.
These accusations are based on what some fans considered weak promotion of the members’ solo projects since 2022, noting limited support for their songs and generally poor promotional efforts, which many felt were not befitting members of a group with BTS’s global stature.
According to the controversial post, HYBE’s aim from the beginning was to reduce reliance on BTS’s intellectual property and position the company itself as more powerful than the group. Fans argue that the management of solo promotions in the second phase was intentionally limited to prevent members from growing independently.
Fans also compared the investments HYBE has made in creating and promoting newer K-pop groups, including NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM, and recently CORTIS, to what BTS members have received. Many believe the company deliberately linked these groups to BTS to leverage the group’s legacy for promotion.
Some of the persistent harassment of members on Korean forums and social media has extended into real life. This includes incidents like Suga’s DUI incident, which sparked a lot of criticism, and BTS member Jimin receiving derogatory remarks and manipulated pictures at his father’s café.. According to reports, HYBE has not filed a lawsuit to defend the members despite the seriousness of these incidents.
Fans argue that it’s not just neglect and harassment—they claim HYBE is draining BTS and the members’ resources to fund new groups, using BTS’s name to promote them. The post quickly gained traction, receiving thousands of views and hundreds of comments, including:
- “HYBE is milking ARMYs and BTS to fund their new groups and giving them everything on a silver platter Are you only noticing this pattern now?”
- “HYBE’s new groups constantly reference BTS—they know we’ll hype them up, but everyone ignores that it’s just a strategy to divert attention.”
- “All members served their military duties and returned. Other HYBE artists got nominations easily because they are American. This proves HYBE is bigger than BTS now.”
- “Promoting newly debuted groups as the next BTS, and suddenly physical sales spike when BTS announced a hiatus… now they don’t even get half of those sales … HYBE, when I catch you…”
- “If you think you’re useless, just remember how HYBE treated BTS in the second phase. Yet members still broke records and stayed on the charts.”
- “HYBE should really remind itself that it wouldn’t exist today without BTS.”
