SEVENTEEN’s Fans Demand End to Alleged Plagiarism of Member’s Name

There is a growing concern among fans of Seventeen regarding the use of member THE8’s (Xu Minghao) stage name and associated fan tag. This issue has gained attention with the recent debut of HYBE’s new AI music group, SYNDI8, and the Japanese nickname given to Zerobaseone’s Zhang Hao.

HYPE’s recently established AI music group, SYNDI8, has been compared to Seventeen’s THE8 due to the shared numerical and phonetic elements in their names. The group’s name, “SYNDI8,”bears a strong resemblance to THE8’s stage name, “디에잇”(Dieit), as both incorporate the number eight. This has sparked concerns among Seventeen fans about the possibility of plagiarism or an intentional effort to benefit from THE8’s existing fame.

Complicating matters further, Japanese fans of Zerobaseone have given member Zhang Hao the nickname “ハオちゃん” (Hao-chan). This moniker bears a striking similarity to the well-established fan tag for Seventeen’s Minghao, leading to overlapping trends on social media platforms and causing confusion.

The unapproved usage of the stage name and fan tag, which have been strongly linked to THE8 for almost ten years, has sparked a surge of unease and outrage among the Seventeen fandom. Supporters contend that these elements have become inseparable from THE8’s persona and symbolize years of loyalty and backing from the fan community.