Director K’s Motivation Behind the ‘HYBE Report’: Customizing for Chairman Bang Si-hyuk

Spanning roughly 2,000 pages, the comprehensive report is anticipated to have far-reaching impacts on the entertainment sector if disclosed in its entirety. Increasing curiosity surrounds the dynamics between former Weverse Magazine Director K, the report’s author, and Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE.

The document integrates insights from discussions with informants alongside findings from online communities. What has been uncovered thus far is merely the tip of the iceberg.

Insider A, who has knowledge of K’s operations, indicated that the report was specifically tailored to meet Chairman Bang’s expectations. “The Bang Si-hyuk I am acquainted with meticulously reviews every forum. He’s highly attuned to the shifts and sentiments within the industry. K diligently engaged with numerous fandom platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter), collating all relevant information into this report,”they noted.

The connection between Chairman Bang and K dates back to the early 2000s. K’s career began at JYP Entertainment, and their collaboration formed around 2005 when Bang established Big Hit Entertainment. Subsequently, K took on the role of editor-in-chief for a media outlet while also consulting for entertainment companies. At that time, K’s perceived neglect of editorial responsibilities led to dissatisfaction among colleagues. Throughout the years, their bond persisted, and once HYBE was launched, K transitioned to become the editor-in-chief of Weverse Magazine, reuniting their efforts.

Chairman Bang often interacted with skilled journalists and critics. Insider B commented, “About ten days prior to an album launch, Bang would host music critics, presenting them with the album and treating them to meals. I attended a few of these gatherings, where he sought out writers he respected for possible collaborations. Due to K’s standing in the industry, he was promoted to an executive (C-level) position.”

While in charge of Weverse Magazine as editor-in-chief, K invested considerable effort into creating reports for executives, including Chairman Bang. Insider A mentioned, “From Bang’s point of view, it was crucial for executives, many with backgrounds in gaming, to grasp the current trends of the entertainment field accurately. That’s why he compensated K well, as opposed to depending on journalists or critics for insights. Weverse Magazine was just one aspect of K’s responsibilities; they share a close bond, not just a professional one.”

The document, as acquired by Sports Seoul, includes remarks on artists’ appearances and stage rehearsals, among other topics. Representative C, an acquaintance of K from another agency, stated, “There are numerous unfounded claims in the report. Even though we have a friendly history, I can’t comprehend why K made those assertions.”

D, an executive from the agency of an artist referenced in the report, expressed, “Monitoring fandom activities is standard practice across the industry, but if the revealed monitoring report reflects typical conduct, then its objective appears excessively biased. How can they evaluate an artist’s reputation with such subjective information?”

D continued, “HYBE holds over 50% of the market in K-pop, making it a significant player in the industry. They should not operate under such pretenses. By disparaging other artists, it tarnishes their reputation as well. It portrays a narrative that only their artists excel while others falter. This matter will continue to attract attention, and the ramifications stretch beyond competitors; it undermines the entire K-pop landscape, thus warranting serious concern.”

Reports indicate that amidst the ongoing production of these documents within HYBE, former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin consistently raised alarms; however, her concerns were disregarded.

In an email sent to HYBE’s leadership on April 16, Min expressed, “The weekly ‘Industry Trend Review’ circulated by K, the Weverse Magazine editor-in-chief, has persistently displayed biased and opinionated content. ADOR has previously objected, emphasizing the need for factual data such as statistics and indicators, along with a basic level of fairness.”

Min elaborated, “I also brought this matter to CEO Park Ji-won’s attention, but was advised to ‘ignore it,’ and received feedback from CHRO Kim Joo-young suggesting I ‘Consider it just one person’s perspective.’ I fail to see why such biased and questionable content is being distributed among the company’s executives as representing the company view. The level of bias is alarming enough to raise suspicions about a possible ulterior motive.”

Source: Daum

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