The K-pop fan community is in uproar over allegations that HYBE exploited dating rumors between V (BTS) and Jennie (BLACKPINK) for strategic gain, particularly in shaping the public image of its artists. The leaked internal documents fueled controversy, revealing troubling details about how the company allegedly handled these rumors and V’s relationship with the public.
As a result, fans began to rethink HYBE and YG’s attitude when dating rumors broke out.
On May 23, BLACKPINK Jennie and BTS V dating rumors began to spread online. This rumor stemmed from several photos, said to be of V and Jennie together in Jeju. However, BLACKPINK and BTS fandoms soon pointed out several details that suggested the photos were the product of editing.
According to fans, what was needed most at the time were official statements from YG and HYBE, but both companies remained curiously silent. As a result, several news sites began mentioning the two idols together in articles, even using heart emojis to suggest a romantic relationship.
This situation will continue unless YG and HYBE give their official position, fans said. However, there are no signs of denial or confirmation from either agency yet.
At this point, some netizens can’t help but wonder what exactly the silence meant, leading to conspiracy theories and speculation. According to some, both companies may be using the hype from Jennie and V’s dating news to draw attention to BTS and BLACKPINK’s upcoming releases, as BTS is confirmed to return on June 10, while it’s rumored that BLACKPINK will return by summer.
Furthermore, V and Jennie weren’t the only ones affected by this fiasco, as Jennie’s alleged ex-boyfriend, BIGBANG G-Dragon, also became a hot topic. Even ordinary photos of G-Dragon became articles with headlines like “G-Dragon’s Thin Arms Ravaged After Alleged Breakup With BLACKPINK Jennie.”
At that time, according to some netizens, it could not be a coincidence that 3 A-list celebrities were involved in a rumor at the same time, and therefore, the dating news could be a form of media game.
As a result, many netizens believed that the recent rumors were a collaboration between HYBE and YG to highlight BLACKPINK and BTS before their comebacks, as well as bury the issues surrounding Kim Garam. For them, this is a convincing explanation for HYBE and YG’s complete silence.
