Shocking statements from HYBE’s leaked report criticising K-pop stars
A leaked internal report from South Korean entertainment giant HYBE has sparked public backlash after it reportedly contained disparaging remarks about multiple K-pop idols.
The report, spanning around 18,000 pages, is said to cover industry trends while including numerous negative comments about idols, with pointed critiques on their appearance among other areas.
The “Weekly Music Industry Report” made waves after excerpts were scrutinised during a National Assembly audit, where lawmakers questioned HYBE COO Kim Tae-ho over derogatory comments targeting underage idols and other questionable practices within the industry.
HYBE is the agency behind global K-pop sensations, such as BTS and TXT.
Although many of the details remain confidential, with groups referenced redacted and the source of these remarks undisclosed, the revelations shared during the audit have shocked both Korean and international audiences.
A prominent opposition politician even went as far as to describe the report — shared with high-ranking executives within HYBE and its sublabels — as reflecting an “inhumane perspective on idols”.
He added that such conduct violates the related laws and the culture ministry’s guidelines for safeguarding the rights of children and adolescents in the entertainment industry.
Here are six of the most troubling statements made in the leaked report.
1. “The other members are shockingly ugly”
While it’s unclear which specific idols this remark targets, it reportedly refers to underage idols making their debuts.
According to The Korea Times, Democratic Party of Korea representative Min Hyung-bae highlighted that “these evaluations and derogatory expressions are directed at minors”.
K-pop idols are often known to undergo rigorous, intense training from a young age, signing restrictive contracts that grant companies draconian control over their lives.
Appearance is a major focus during this period, as trainees face immense pressure to meet company standards.
One former trainee shared that weight monitoring became an obsession, with supervisors publicly announcing trainees’ weights to enforce strict guidelines. Factors such as height or natural body shape offered little reprieve, leaving some trainees struggling to meet these rigid expectations.
Despite the hardships endured by these young trainees just to get a chance to debut, they may be subjected to demeaning assessments, such as being labeled “shockingly ugly” by executives who have placed them in this environment.
Culture Minister Yu In-chon expressed concern about the potential impact of these “harsh” comments on victims, noting that “[the idols’] families may see these documents” as well.
2. “They had plastic surgery to the point where they were almost unrecognisable”
According to Sports Kyunghyang, the statement refers to a group of idols from JYP Entertainment.
Appearance holds immense importance in K-pop companies, and trainees, even minors, are often pressured to undergo plastic surgery.
A trainee who ultimately quit spoke up about this, sharing that she was considered to be the “visual” of her future group, essentially the main face.
However, because her facial structure was deemed “larger” by Korean standards, the company “wanted to change the bridge of my nose and shave my jawline”.
While plastic surgery is common in Korea, it remains costly. The expense would be added to the trainee’s mounting debt to the company, on top of fees for instructors, housing, and other training expenses.
3. “Fans have been shielding [redacted] by saying the company doesn’t allow them to sing live”
One of the statements, dated around June 2022, referred to an idol group embroiled in controversy over repeated lip-syncing incidents.
According to Koreaboo, HYBE’s internal report claimed that fans were deflecting criticism from the idol group itself and instead redirecting blame toward the group’s agency.
They argued that the company hadn’t allowed the group to perform live, despite their reputed vocal abilities.
This reportedly all came to a head at an unspecified concert sometime before June 2022, when the group’s lip-syncing made headlines again.
While the report doesn’t name the group directly, fans speculated that it referred to rival company SM Entertainment’s girl group aespa.
This aligns with a May 2022 article from The Sun, which described fans’ confusion over aespa lip-syncing at a university concert in Korea after a successful live performance at Coachella.
Many fans directed their frustration toward SM Entertainment, believing the company had left the group with no alternative.
4. “Most of the fraudulent votes were for Blackpink”
In a separate report leaked on X, HYBE allegedly claims that fraudulent votes were cast at the “[redacted] Global Popularity Award”, with most directed toward rival group Blackpink.
“It may have been the intervention of Lisa’s overseas fandom”, added the report.
The leak appears to be verified by a Korean reporter.
Based on award lists on Wikipedia, the mention of a “Global Popularity Award” seems to refer to the Genie Music Awards, where Blackpink was nominated in 2019 and 2022 but did not win.
Following the leak, many of Lisa’s fans have taken to social media, demanding that HYBE issue an apology.
5. “It just so happens that Giselle donated 10 million won to an animal shelter”
In the same leaked report, HYBE’s internal assessment also scrutinised several incidents they felt were very convenient for aespa’s image.
According to HYBE, SM Entertainment stepped in to improve Giselle’s public perception following a dip in her popularity.
Soon after, Giselle reportedly donated 10 million won (about S$9,600) to an animal shelter.
HYBE’s report speculated that this specific type of donation was intended to appeal to social media followers, suggesting that an animal shelter donation would naturally endear her to the public.
HYBE further noted the timing of the donation, claiming that the amount was substantial enough to require identity verification. This, they argue, meant her identity as the donor would inevitably be revealed.
Additionally, HYBE’s report pointed to Karina’s subsequent mention of Giselle’s donation on a variety show, labelling the move “tacky” and “absurdly artificial”.
6. “We can dispose of NewJeans”
Just over a month after an unscheduled livestream from NewJeans raised concerns, this damning statement seems to confirm fans’ worst fears about HYBE’s treatment of the group.
According to Korea JoongAng, the group remarked during the stream: “We had no choice but to doubt whether HYBE truly cares about NewJeans.”
This incident followed the departure of ADOR’s CEO, who managed NewJeans, after a reported dispute with HYBE. The group further implied that their former CEO had been their only shield against “subtle bullying” from the larger company.
However, it’s essential to consider the context of HYBE’s response.
According to Yahoo! News, the internal report touches on an employee’s difficulty with a proposed mash-up name, “New-I-LE,” combining NewJeans, ILLIT, and LE SSERAFIM, all HYBE-managed groups.
The report downplayed this difficulty, suggesting they could simply remove NewJeans from the equation and create a new name entirely.
“We can dispose of NewJeans and just come up with a new phrase,” the report said.
HYBE claims leaked report was a collection of market and fan sentiments
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Featured image adapted from The Korea Herald and Billboard.