BTS Controversy Explained: Plagiarism, Mistreatment, And Other Allegations Between Hybe And Ador

BTS Controversy Explained: The ongoing clash between two of South Korea’s biggest music companies, HYBE and SM Entertainment, has left K-pop fans worried. This high-stakes battle, involving corporate filings, lawsuits, and even YouTube videos, threatens to reshape the global K-pop market. The dispute has seen accusations of confidential offshore tax havens and hostile stock takeovers, dragging some of the biggest K-pop acts into the fray.

What Went Down Between Hybe And Ador?

Recently, the conflict took a dramatic turn as HYBE accused Min Hee Jin, CEO of its affiliate agency ADOR, of embezzlement. According to HYBE, Min Hee Jin allegedly encouraged an employee to embezzle ‘hundreds of millions of won’ by subcontracting work to multiple companies. HYBE further contended that this employee continued to receive substantial payments from advertisers without informing the company. These serious allegations have intensified the feud and garnered attention.

In response to these allegations, HYBE launched an audit on one of ADOR’s employees. Min Hee Jin retaliated with a statement claiming that HYBE harassed her employee. The harassment claims included following the employee to her home, demanding her laptop and personal cell phone, and sending severe threats. Min Hee Jin accused HYBE of conducting a ‘smear campaign’ and threatening with legal action.

The tension escalated as HYBE countered Min Hee Jin’s claims, accusing her of knowingly tolerating the embezzlement for years. In a statement, HYBE revealed, “During the audit process, the team leader admitted to having received hundreds of millions of won worth of money and valuables from outsourcing companies over several years with the approval of Min Hee-jin. The fact that such amounts, which should be recognized as company revenue, were privately handed over and that the CEO knowingly tolerated this for years is not a practice but a clear illegality.”

BTS Targeted Into Chart Rigging And Mistreatment

The conflict has also drawn BTS into the controversy. A viral post titled, ‘BTS Are The Sacrificial Lamb Amid HYBE And Min Hee Jin Fight… Victims Of Rumors’ highlighted foreign media claims that BTS was being wrongfully targeted. These allegations suggested that Big Hit Music, HYBE’s subsidiary, had manipulated music charts in favour of BTS. This led the Korean government to order an investigation into the matter, following a 2017 court ruling that found evidence of chart manipulation.

Adding to the drama, Danielle Marsh of New Jeans, a girl group managed by ADOR, issued a statement expressing her ‘heavy heart,’ though she did not directly address the controversy.

As the battle between HYBE and SM Entertainment continues, its outcome could significantly impact the future of the K-pop industry and its global influence.