On October 18th, the fan community of NewJeans, known as “Team Bunnies,” shared on X (previously Twitter) that they have received word from a confidential source indicating that the Weverse CEO, Choi Joon-won, will no longer serve as a witness for the upcoming National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee audit slated for October 21st. The fan group noted that the reasons behind this withdrawal remain uncertain, potentially linked to a statement of non-attendance or a retraction of the witness request from a committee member.
Additionally, Team Bunnies pointed out that during the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit conducted on October 7th, Weverse was subjected to numerous inquiries from legislators regarding topics like unjust refund policies for faulty products, repeated delivery issues, subpar merchandise, arbitrary photocards, and aggressive product promotion strategies. They criticized Weverse for their apathetic responses, often replying with “We don’t know” or “We’ll investigate later.”
The fan group commented, “Recent reports have indicated that Weverse is trying to implement a new mandatory paid membership system, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive audit by the Political Affairs Committee. HYBE has been accused of misleading fans and taking advantage of consumers, and the announcement of a new paid membership structure with fees reaching as high as 60% has shocked all fandoms utilizing Weverse.”
Team Bunnies further expressed disappointment, stating, “Although the specific reason for the withdrawal of the witness remains unclear, it is unfortunate that the Political Affairs Committee audit, which could have yielded valuable insights for K-pop fans, has been scrapped. HYBE executives, including Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, often manipulate the media and legal frameworks to their advantage, yet they seem to dodge responsibility when summoned by a national authority, which is utterly appalling. It is unfathomable how Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang can exhibit such a blatant disregard for accountability amidst these issues.”
The fan group urged, “We sincerely hope that Kim Tae-ho, the CEO of Belift Lab and COO of HYBE, will not shy away from attending or provide disingenuous responses as a witness during the forthcoming comprehensive Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit on October 24th. As he is stepping in for Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang, we implore him to address the questions earnestly.”
On October 17th, The Korea Herald reported that Weverse plans to launch a new paid service starting December 1st. There are claims that HYBE is exerting pressure on over 130 music labels to join this new initiative.
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According to Democratic Party representative Lee Jung-mun, Weverse communicated with 130 partner labels on September 26th regarding the initiation of a mandatory subscription-based “digital membership” starting December 1st, which would provide fans with exclusive digital perks through a monthly subscription model across all artist communities on Weverse.
Source: Top Star News
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