Analyzing Claims of HYBE Tracking Popular Gay K-Pop ‘Ships’: Insights from Viral Document Leaks

Recent revelations from HYBE’s internal files have ignited significant conversation, particularly as they reference various K-Pop ensembles from competing labels. Among the circulating information, a tweet that gained traction asserted that these documents listed popular fan-created “ships,”which are romantic pairings—often involving characters of the same gender—between members of different groups.

This tweet showcased a compilation of “ships”featuring well-known groups such as aespa, NCT, BTS, and SEVENTEEN, implying that these imagined relationships may enhance a group’s appeal. While fans’ fascination with the dynamics between members can indeed drive engagement, does it capture the entire narrative?

The internal documents from HYBE repeatedly reference fanfiction. One notable mention indicated that a release from TXT seemed to draw inspiration from fan-written stories depicting a romance between members Yeonjun and Beomgyu. Another part of the documents pointed out that NCT fans are particularly active on platforms like Postype, where the top-rated stories often involve adult themes (NC), with NCT consistently ranking high in popularity. HYBE criticized this preoccupation with fictional relationships, labeling it as a dated form of fangirling typically associated with SM fandoms.

Nevertheless, the list that sparked the discussion was not included in HYBE’s documents. The tweet actually originated from a August 2024 Postype listing of popular pairings, which detailed the number of fanfics written for each. While it’s plausible that HYBE may have examined these trends, there is no evidence to suggest that this particular list was part of any leaked internal documents.