HYBE accused of more mediaplay as article comparing stray children to SEVENTEEN sparks outrage

An article published by TenAsia caused a stir online after drawing comparisons between Stray children AND SEVENTEENleading to accusations of targeted media gaming MOVESthe parent company of SEVENTEEN.

The article highlighted Stray Kids’ ongoing world tour, where 25 of 41 performances will take place in stadiums, an indication of the group’s rapid global rise. In contrast, SEVENTEEN’s recent tour averaged 30,000 attendees per show across 28 shows, amassing a total audience of one million.

Despite acknowledging Stray Kids’ growing influence, the piece pegged SEVENTEEN as the group to beat in the male K-pop idol category during BTS’ military hiatus.

SEVENTEEN, who became K-Pop’s signature male idols during BTS’s military service hiatus, attracted a total of one million attendees across 28 shows during their latest world tour, averaging around 30,000 attendees for show.

— TenAsia

Netizens took issue with the tone of the article, believing it created unnecessary competition between the two groups. Many argued that it unfairly dismissed Stray Kids’ achievements while bolstering SEVENTEEN’s reputation, potentially solidifying HYBE’s position as a dominant player in the K-Pop industry.

However, SEVENTEEN’s popularity is also steadily increasing in North America. Since 2022, they have consistently appeared on the Billboard 200 chart, gaining recognition. HYBE’s growth potential is viewed as positively as that of JYP Entertainment in the stock market.

— TenAsia

Netizens also commented on the timing of the comparisons. SEVENTEEN’s presence on the US charts and global market has grown steadily, but some felt the article was forcing a narrative about their dominance, drawing attention away from Stray Kids’ achievements.

• “Wow, Stray Kids fans must be shocked. Leave them alone: ​​we will handle things ourselves.
• “Please leave the Stray Kids alone.”
• “Here we go again…”
• “JYP also doesn’t boast about Stray Kids’ achievements and stays silent, but why are HYBE and TenAsia so exaggerated?”
• “HYBE stan, talk about Stray Kids without dragging others, lol.”
• “This is just a HYBE media game, isn’t it? Ugh.”