A comment made by a LE SSERAFIM fan under a video of a BBC interview with NewJeans has unexpectedly resurfaced and gone viral in Korean online communities, sparking renewed discussion about the long-standing controversy between the two girl groups HYBE.
The fan began his post by clarifying that he harbors no hostility towards NewJeans or their fandom, stating that they were simply expressing a genuine question:
“I’m a fan of THE SERAPHINSbut honestly I mean no harm to NewJeans fans. I just don’t understand why some people seem to believe that NewJeans has been deeply hurt by THE SERAPHINS debuting first. Was it really that bad?”
The fan went on to explain that debut delays are not uncommon in the idol industry, and that trainees often face sudden lineup changes and difficult conditions, as shown in THE SERAPHINSwhich showed the members being replaced before the debut.
“It’s unfair to label THE SERAPHINS as “responsible” for this. They debuted according to the company’s schedule. The members had no say in who debuted first,” the comment read.
The viral post also addressed the ongoing legal dispute between HYBE and ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, noting that existing evidence suggests that the delay in NewJeans’ debut was linked to Min Hee-jin’s alleged efforts to grant independence to her label, rather than THE SERAPHINSthe activities of.
However, the fan expressed frustration that many NewJeans supporters continue to side with Min Hee-jin, despite her making negative comments about THE SERAPHINS in public.
“At the moment, THE SERAPHINSOfficial social media pages were flooded with comments like “Apologize to NewJeans” or “They shouldn’t have debuted sooner.” The hate got so bad that the group had to disable comments on Instagram and still haven’t turned them back on,” the fan pointed out.
The comment then referred to statements made by Min Hee-jin in court, in which she claimed that members of NewJeans were emotionally affected by THE SERAPHINSis his previous debut. The fan questioned the correctness of this logic:
“What were they THE SERAPHINS should do? Ask HYBE to debut NewJeans before them? If they didn’t, does that make them wrong?
The user also highlighted it THE SERAPHINS debuted in May 2022, while NewJeans debuted in August 2022, just three months later.
“Is a three-month difference really a big deal? If Min Hee-jin wanted, she could have delayed NewJeans’ debut even longer, but would that have been fair to the trainees?”
The post concluded with a strong statement criticizing the way the narrative was shaped:
“Min Hee-jin portrayed herself as the victim while turning around THE SERAPHINS in the bad guys, simply because they debuted first. That’s what’s really unfair.”
After its resurface, the comment garnered tens of thousands of upvotes on Korean forums, with opinions divided among netizens. Some agreed THE SERAPHINS had been unfairly targeted in corporate disputes, while others defended Min Hee-jin and NewJeans, saying the emotional impact on trainees was valid.
Regardless of the position, the debate highlights the growing tension between fans of both groups and the way in which the company’s internal politics have increasingly influenced the public perception of HYBE’s artists.
