Amidst recent events, SEVENTEEN, the well-known K-pop group, has become embroiled in a heated controversy regarding the cost of their latest deluxe album edition.
Both fans and netizens have expressed concerns about the high cost, prompting a response from Pledis Entertainment, the group’s agency.
The matter was brought to attention on May 7 when a post titled “Fans express dissatisfaction with the high price of SEVENTEEN’s deluxe edition album”was discovered on the Korean forum theqoo.
The post rapidly gained popularity, accumulating more than 50,000 views and almost 1,000 comments in a brief period of time.
Fans were surprised by the cost of SEVENTEEN’s deluxe edition of their most recent album, “17 IS RIGHT HERE.”The deluxe edition comes with a photobook, sticker, complete set of photocards, and key rings.
The main point of the dispute centers on the difference in price compared to previous deluxe versions of SEVENTEEN’s albums.
Previously, the cost of past releases was around 40,000 won (equivalent to approximately 30 USD). However, the deluxe version of “17 IS RIGHT HERE”is significantly more expensive, priced at 170,000 won (approximately 125 USD after a 17% discount).
The online community expressed their annoyance, accusing HYBE, the parent company of SEVENTEEN, of being greedy for setting such a high price.
The following are noteworthy comments from internet users:
- “Wow, I really hate HYBE.”
- “Does it make sense for it to be more expensive than a concert ticket?”
- “HYBE are trying to recover their money after their stock dropped due to Min Hee-jin”
Despite facing increasing criticism, Pledis Entertainment responded to the pricing controversy by issuing a statement.
The agency stated that the initial price was a result of an error, clarifying the situation.
“Due to operational errors, the initial planned price was incorrectly communicated to the distributors as the final price, causing a price labeling error on the sales page.”
Additionally, Pledis elaborated:
“The album was initially planned as a limited edition with a special configuration to commemorate Seventeen’s Best Album release. In the preparation process, the composition and price were changed to allow more fans to enjoy it in line with the concept of the Best Album rather than emphasizing rarity.”
In order to address the issue, Pledis released a statement announcing a change in pricing for the album. The new price was set at 83,400 won (equivalent to approximately 60 USD) but with a discounted rate of 69,500 won (51 USD) after a 17% reduction. The company also assured customers that they would be able to receive refunds if they had purchased the album at the previous, incorrect price.
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