The CEO of Hybe Lee Jae-Sang is under shooting after publicly referring to the in progress internal conflict with Ador, widely considered to involve the Newjeans, during the annual meeting of the company’s shareholders held on March 31st.
At the meeting of Mapo-Gui, Soul, Lee answered questions about the corporate government of Hybe and on their management of Ador’s situation by affirming, “I mentioned the meeting of last year’s shareholders who, although it would take time, would face any problem step by step based on the principles. I think we are now starting to see the results.”
This apparently vague but acute observation that refers to what the Korean media and official documents call “Ador accidents” has attracted the main online repercussions. Many fans have interpreted the declaration as an indirect attack in Newjeans, the flagship group under Ador.
Fan were outrage: “How is all this say and people still blame the Neoagi?”
The online response was quick and emotional. A user’s tweet @Dittomatik attracted attention for saying, “As all these things openly say and Ppl still think that Njz is wrong?”
International fans, especially after a similar article appeared in Korea Joongang Daily, expressed frustration that Hybe continues to publicly frame the conflict, while Newjeans remained silently presumably bound by internal constraints.
Adding to the dispute, a Netizen stressed that, “Hybe protected from copyright an extremely popular jersey club remix of a Njz song. However, Hybe has no copyright a #emix of a song by another of their artists.”
This move has been widely considered as a thin form of targeting and amplifying the suspicions that Hybe could practice on the pressure on the Newjeans in the midst of its tension with the CEO of Ador Min Hee-Jin.
“Ador accident” or targeted group conflict?
Although Hybe continues to refer to the dispute as in the “Ador accident”, many believe that the term is a thin veil for a wider conflict that heavily involves Newjeans. The persistent framework of the situation as a corporate question – while avoiding the direct recognition of the group – has only deepened public skepticism.
With the Lee Jae -ong CEO now that they claim their response “step by step” shows the results, the fans ask: results for whom? And to what cost for artists blocked in the middle?
As other supporters gather behind Newjeans, asking transparency and responsibilities, the internal issues of Hybe are proving impossible to keep private.
