Epik High’s Tablo has addressed growing accusations of online nepotism involving his daughter, Lee Haru, after she was credited as the sole lyricist for RIIZE’s upcoming track “Do Your Dance.” The song is part of RIIZE’s second mini-album IIreleasing on June 15, and the credit quickly caught the attention of the entire K-pop community, HallyuPulse reported.
Haru, who is the daughter of Tablo and actress Kang Hye Jung, has been known to fans since her TV appearances as a child, making her sudden entry into a major SM Entertainment release particularly noteworthy.
As discussions spread online, some users wondered whether his family background may have played a role in getting the opportunity to submit lyrics for a high-profile boy group’s title track. Others, however, highlighted the evaluation process used by SM Entertainment.
Tablo intervened to clarify the situation, saying that Haru’s lyrics were selected through a blind review system. In this process, submissions are judged without revealing the writer’s identity, which he says ensures fairness in the selection.
“Yes. That’s how she was chosen,” Tablo said in response to an online post discussing the trial.
Fans are divided over Haru’s songwriting credits on RIIZE
The clarification quickly shifted the public conversation, with many fans defending Haru and pointing out that blind ratings are a common practice in the K-pop industry.
According to Koreaboo, some have noticed that even established writers and SM artists often follow the same system when submitting lyrics.
However, not everyone agreed that the debate was completely resolved. While many accept that blind review supports a merit-based outcome, others argue that access to the submission process itself may already require connections or industry awareness that are not readily available to everyone.
Adding to the discussion, some online commenters have pointed out that aspiring lyricists often struggle to get demo opportunities as well, making Haru’s access to a major agency’s submission route part of the larger controversy. Despite the debate, many fans also praised Haru’s achievements, especially considering his young age.
“Do Your Dance” will mark his first solo lyricist credit for a title track, signaling a significant step in his growing involvement in music creation. This isn’t his first writing credit. Haru previously worked alongside Tablo on KiiiKiii’s “To Me From Me”, showing early signs of collaboration within the industry.
