HYBE‘s “internal report” was disclosed during a comprehensive national audit by the Committee on Culture, Sports, and Tourism, sparking controversy due to its scandalous and disparaging content.
The report included evaluations of other agencies’ idols’ appearances. For instance, regarding SM Entertainment, it remarked, “Rumors about SM’s new girl group began circulating recently, with around eight candidates selected. Surprisingly, none of them were attractive.” It went on to say, “It seemed like their trainee infrastructure was inferior to that of XXXXX. When group XXX debuted, everyone was shocked by their appearance. Has SM’s sense of aesthetics changed?”
This report has caught the attention of major Korean media outlets. In response, an SM employee updated their Instagram Story, quoting the report along with multiple “angry face” emojis, writing, “Don’t mess with our members,” expressing clear displeasure. SM is currently preparing a new girl group, the first since aespa, and the group is expected to debut in the fourth quarter of this year, something HYBE is reportedly watching closely. HYBE has responded to the report by clarifying, “The appearance-related report disclosed during the audit was compiled from community discussions and does not represent HYBE’s views.”
