What did Zico and BTS do wrong? Suspicions surrounding agency’s actions are separate from artists’ activities

As a result, there is an increasing belief that the accusations against the agency and the actions of the artists should be considered separately.

In April, singer-producer Zico released the collaborative track “SPOT!”under HYBE’s subsidiary, KOZ Entertainment. The song, featuring BLACKPINK’s Jennie, gained attention for its new challenge, following the success of Zico’s “Any Song”challenge. Other artists, including Jeon So-mi, Kiss of Life, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, and Seventeen’s Woozi, also participated in the challenge alongside Zico and Jennie.

Despite the participation of various artists from labels like Source Music and Pledis Entertainment in the challenge, there was an issue with artists under HYBE. The controversy also extended to girl group NewJeans under ADOR, who have not yet filmed their challenge.

Some of the comments on the challenge videos have a critical tone, including phrases such as “I’m not sure if you’re clueless or intentionally doing this,””Escape from HYBE,”and “You’ve never filmed with NewJeans.”

Despite differing opinions, some netizens believed that HYBE was at fault in this situation, questioning, “What wrongdoings did the affiliated artists commit?”and pointing out, “Even if HYBE made the request, it is not Zico’s responsibility.”

There was also buzz surrounding the news of BTS leader RM’s upcoming solo comeback. His second solo album, “Right Place, Wrong Person,”is set to release on May 24th. However, the public’s response to this announcement has not been entirely positive, as it coincides with the release date of NewJeans’ double single. Some have pointed out that this timing, in the midst of negative sentiment towards HYBE, may lead to unintentional competition between the two releases.

Moreover, BTS encountered challenges when accusations of manipulating charts resurfaced after seven years due to a court document regarding their album promotion in 2017. Furthermore, there have been concerns about the lyrics of some of BTS’s songs being influenced by the beliefs of the controversial religious group “Dahnworld”. As the news of RM’s comeback was announced, certain internet users began demanding clarifications.

In order to defend the artists, the fandom known as “ARMY”took united action. On May 3rd, ARMY published a full-page advertisement in select newspapers, denouncing HYBE for subjecting BTS to considerable harm from fabricated news and false rumors, despite the group’s lack of involvement in the current situation. They urged HYBE and Big Hit Music to take appropriate measures against the defamation of BTS and to provide a clear update on any legal action being taken. Furthermore, they strongly condemned agencies that fail to safeguard their artists, stating that such agencies have no purpose to exist and may face contract termination for neglecting their duties.

Despite being unintentional, artists are frequently embroiled in suspicions and conflicts involving their agencies. However, it is important to remember that artists are solely artists, not activists or criminals. They are merely individuals who have dedicated themselves to their music career. The agency holds the responsibility for managing their comeback schedules, not the artists. It is crucial to distinguish between doubts surrounding the agency’s actions and supporting the artists’ music career independently.

Link to the source: daum