The Hybe document has sparked an outcry among K-pop fans in Thailand, one of the strongest K-pop fan bases globally, where Lisa is widely celebrated as a national icon. Photo: Reuters
K-pop fans in Thailand are protesting against South Korean entertainment conglomerate Hybe, following the leak of an internal document.
It reportedly contained unverified rumours about K-pop girl group Blackpink and their Thai member, Lisa.
The document, titled Weekly Music Industry Report, was intended for Hybe executives as part of a weekly industry trends review. It surfaced during a National Assembly audit on Oct 24.
It included harsh and derogatory remarks about K-pop artistes, including those not affiliated with Hybe, and has since sparked widespread backlash.
The document allegedly criticised Blackpink’s achievements and suggested that Lisa’s success at the MTV Video Music Awards may have been inflated by “suspicious voting activity”, which the report attributed to intervention by her “internal fandom”.
“Internal fandom” is thought to refer to Lisa’s Thai fans.
Lisa, 27, clinched the Best K-pop award at the MTV Video Music Awards in September for her song Rockstar, which was released in June. The singer won in the same category in 2022 for her debut solo single Lalisa.
The Hybe document has sparked an outcry among K-pop fans in Thailand, one of the strongest K-pop fan bases globally, where Lisa is widely celebrated as a national icon.
The Thai media covered the controversy extensively, fuelling the anger of fans who then mobilised themselves online, demanding a formal apology from Hybe, with the hashtag #HybeApologizeToLisa trending on social media platform X.
Thai fan Kasidhat Gorman, 35, said social media posts sharing Thai news reports about the leaked document and Hybe’s alleged attempt to discredit Lisa are spreading rapidly.
“Hybe’s document issue really blew up when the part mentioning Blackpink and Lisa surfaced,” he said on Oct 31. “You don’t touch Lisa here. She’s a national hero in Thailand, like (K-pop boy band) BTS are in South Korea.”
Hybe chief executive Lee Jae-sang on Oct 29 apologised over the document, admitting that the contents were deeply inappropriate and acknowledged the insensitivity in how opinions and personal views were documented and shared.
“We sincerely apologise to the innocent artistes and industry members who have suffered from misinterpretations, including unfounded suspicions of reverse viral marketing,” he said in a press statement. “We are also conveying our official apology to all artistes under Hybe who have unfairly faced criticism due to this issue.”
He assured stakeholders that Hybe has taken immediate action by ceasing the creation of such monitoring documents. He pledged to strengthen internal controls to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.
According to a South Korean media report, the employee responsible for drafting the document was relieved of the position and reassigned to a human resources team.
However, some industry insiders have criticised the move as a mere scapegoating effort. Questions have arisen regarding the accountability of higher executives, with critics arguing that the responsibility likely extends beyond the document’s author.
“Even if the editor-in-chief were the one to draft it, there must have been someone who instructed them to do so, and others who reviewed it afterwards,” said music critic Lim Hee-yun. “The problem lies in the explicit content it contains. Punishing only the individual who wrote it is bound to invite criticism.” – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
