HYBE has been protested on multiple occasions by pro-Palestinian fans.
Koreaboo
Like more than MOVESThe company’s internal documents are released, more information about the company’s internal procedures and reflections on various topics are revealed.
On November 1, a KST employee apparently shared a new set of documents online, sparking new controversy. Within these documents were comments on various topics, including the pro-Palestinian protests launched against the label’s artists.
As additional attention has been placed on human rights violations occurring in the Gaza Stripmany began protesting against companies allegedly linked to Israel. This includes McDonald’s and Starbucks, which were launched as grassroots protests and were later encouraged by official protests.
K-Pop Fans Are Upset Over Idols ‘Promoting’ Starbucks Amid Palestine Boycott… But Should They Be?
HYBE discussed these protests in a section on ENIPENE‘S Jakereferring to an instance where the idol responded to fans’ protests. The company appears to have decided to “wait this matter out” since Korea is not involved in the conflict.
“Recently, there has been an intensification of the political intervention campaign led by overseas fandoms around brands such as Starbucks and McDonald’s in relation to the Israel issue. Although I’ve mentioned this before, South Korea is not a country involved in the conflict, so the wisest choice is likely to wait until the issue is resolved. However, with the Gold Record Awards as a turning point, Indonesian fans have been heavily promoting this issue to other fans on platforms like Weverse. There was also an incident where Jake accepted a foreign fan’s post urging people not to support Starbucks, replying with a thoughtful comment, which sparked some controversy.
— HYBE Documents
The document then addresses fans’ efforts to “educate” idols, flagging them as a potential risk as the term upsets domestic fans. The company seemed very concerned that this would trigger a more complex situation.
The term “issue education,” often used by international fans, is particularly upsetting to Korean fans, creating a potential risk. Since the issue is not only a matter of personal choice but a complex political one, Jake’s response may become problematic in the future, so it is essential to continue monitoring this situation. Most importantly, even if the situation seems resolved simply because Jake graciously responded to the fans, this could still serve as a turning point that fuels the identity-based conflicts of the ENHYPEN fandom. It is a delicate moment in which managing the atmosphere is fundamental. If fans rally around unrelated issues to push members’ reactions, the situation could become more complicated.
Additionally, it appears that Jake still has trouble distinguishing between problems he can respond to and those he shouldn’t. Thinking back to the Itaewon incident, where Jake’s reaction ended up complicating things, it seems like he may not fully understand the weight of these issues. This may require more foundational case studies on risk identification. There is also a need for members like Jay (with his story controversies) and Jake (with his cover promises) to resolve ongoing issues regarding their individual actions. The burden each member personally feels regarding these issues may vary and this must be considered.
— HYBE Documents
It appears, based on these documents, that the real conflict issue is not something on HYBE’s radar, but rather the potential issues that could arise from an idol if the label acknowledges such issues.
HYBE has also been protested for its ties to Israel, which you can read about below.
HYBE director alienates Muslim fans with recent and blatantly Islamophobic messages
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