Entertainment
HYBE Receives Massive Backlash from Netizens for Being Obsessed with iKON
Have you been keeping up with the ongoing controversy surrounding HYBE? A series of incidents have sparked intense debates about the company’s obsession with K-pop group iKON. This has raised significant concerns regarding HYBE’s approach to creativity, originality, and being artistic.
The recent controversy began with the revelation of KATSEYE, HYBE’s latest girl group, and their chosen fandom name, EYEKONS. Fans were divided upon hearing this news. Some thought it was clever wordplay with their name, while others criticized it for copying the name of K-pop boyband iKON.
First HYBE copying LILLIES FANDOM TO LILLY
THEN ADOR calling out HYBE for using ILLIT to copy new jeans
And then HYBE copying iKON 아이콘’s name for KATSEYE fandom name “EYEKON 아이콘스“
0 originality and just for that quick buck and attention 👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/UwNCW49s1J— 🆔 x ||¦||¦¦ Liyennie 🍉 on break finding $$$$ (@liyenniee) April 22, 2024
This company is biggest kpop mistake. No respect to fans, no respect to smaller artists, dragging vocal standards down and expecting ppl to just accept it, press control, imposing streaming culture, it was just a matter of time when they stopped gaf about basic industry ethics….… https://t.co/0GIYzYyPnT— G-Dragon of EXO (@SUJI96808) April 23, 2024
This isn’t the first time HYBE has been accused of copying iKON either; &TEAM, a boy group under HYBE Labels Japan, released a snippet which shares similarities with ‘LTNS’ by DK of iKON.
After copying the name of iKON for his gg, HYBE now plagiarise iKON's DK – LTNS.
This company has no shame at all.
HYBEis obsessed with iKON
RESPECT THE NAME #RESPECTiKON #iKONnotEYEKONS #iKON #아이콘 #iKONICSpic.twitter.com/Ok76BS33Dr— Hallyu Insider (@hallyu_insider) April 26, 2024
iKON you will always be famous.
At this point no one can deny that HYBE is obsessed with my boys… From a fandom name to this one 🤙
LTNS by DK (iKON’s Kim Donghyuk) is amazing. I’m glad you all like it. You can find his album NAKSEO on Spotify pic.twitter.com/uBX06KI397 https://t.co/X0JycFi0e8— 00110111 🖍🐣 (@urianuisori) April 26, 2024
However, the tune is also similar with a song ‘Miss you’ by M-flo loves Melody & Ryohei Yamamoto which was released 15 years ago.
https://t.co/NNFxdjokxL pic.twitter.com/nBEUFtRM4d— 소라땽。 (@43__sora) April 25, 2024
In 2022, concertgoers posted on their social media site that HYBE sent flower wreaths to each venue for iKON’s “Take off” tour in Japan. This gesture may seem innocuous at first glance, but this was the period of contract renewal issue between iKON and their former agency, YG Entertainment.
Why hybe japan send flower wreath for ikon concert ??? https://t.co/ddhs5OiBFX— ㅋ (@iKON_143too) July 3, 2022
Flower wreaths for iKON from Hybe Japan CEO & AVEX 💝💝#iKONFlashbackTour_TokyoD1@YG_iKONIC #iKON #아이콘 pic.twitter.com/7UOd2mIwcN— 𝓥𝓲𝓲𝓲 ☔🍀 (@chunheeyaa) July 9, 2022
hybe sending flower wreaths to iKON's 2022 tour when their YG contract was about to expire screams they wanted eyekon to sign with them but konys refused so they are making a way to have their own eyekon😂🫣 https://t.co/irtkdVzIMx— PAU-PAU (@YunhyeongItGirl) April 23, 2024
Rumors swirled about HYBE’s interest in iKON; however, the members were not swayed. The group took a different path, signing with 143 Entertainment in January 2023. This rejection may have prompted HYBE to allegedly copy iKON’s concepts and music.
These incidents’ timing raises concerns among netizens about speculation about HYBE’s real intentions. Did the company’s actions come from genuine admiration for iKON’s talent, or were they intimidated by the group’s success in the K-pop industry?
Bang Sihyuk is nothing without BTS btw and the effect of their fame really turned him into a monster who ruined KPOP.
He is so damn jealous and scared of others’ achievements that he started to take established groups into his company and create groups with this kind of mindset. https://t.co/6frMpFHzxh— 藤 (@timelapseu) April 25, 2024
but ikon really was a threat to everyone. self-produced idols, good music, best rappers, amazing vocals, live performers, funny, good personalities like what more can you ask 😭— kiwi ☁️ YOU by CHAN (@oopschanwoo) April 26, 2024
iKON was really a threat.
Talented people are threat to them https://t.co/psBhDh27yR— BinandBBareMyLife (@VIPBINIC) April 25, 2024
fuck it. ikon was so ready to be big and dominate the kpop industry. they had that fucking chance. their fanbase was getting bigger. hanbin was in his studio, working hard twice after their LS success and they had to sabotage it. fuck everyone. https://t.co/8IamrXKfAq— ෆ ¹⁷ ᴵˢ ᴿᴵᴳᴴᵀ ᴴᴱᴿᴱ (@horangkwons) April 26, 2024
HYBE’s obsession with YG and SM artists
But the drama didn’t stop there. HYBE’s girl group ILLIT announced their fandom name as “LILLY.” The group has faced criticism for copying other artists. Netizens disapproved of it due to its resemblance to BLACKPINK’s Lisa’s fan name and NMIXX’s Lily’s name. The day after, BELIFT LAB announced ILLIT will undergo a change in their fan club official name.
ILLIT's fandom name: LILLY
KATSEYE's fandom name: EYEKON
🤣🤣😂
Is HYBE obsessed with YG or what?— #LAY_PSYCHIC (@acdbriixojacvip) April 22, 2024
The girl group are under fire again, this time for “copying” K-pop group EXO. After ILLIT’s Ingikayo performance, EXO’s fanbase spotted the group’s “L” hand sign, with the L standing for LOVE and “linking” the two subunits, EXO-K and EXO-M. Fans of EXO criticized the group’s company for “stealing” the hand symbol, regardless of direction.
The sign 👉 L is only for #EXO , EXO-L & #LAY
You better respect it and change it pic.twitter.com/UMzyNcgs0W— Kai Intanova (@KIntanova) April 24, 2024
The controversy surrounding fandom names isn’t new to the K-pop scene. In 2019, fans of TXT clashed with supporters of Tiffany Young over the use of the fandom name “YOUNG ONE.” Big Hit Entertainment, TXT’s agency, asserted that fan input led to the name’s selection, but Tiffany’s fans, claiming she had been using the name since her solo debut, expressed outrage. The dispute underscored the importance of originality and respect in the fiercely loyal world of K-pop fandoms.
Amidst the uproar, TXT fans finally received clarity on their fandom name after four months. The group revealed “MOA,” short for “Moments of Alwaysness,” symbolizing the enduring bond between the group and their supporters.
So about #YOUNGONE
Kim Hyunsik (1958-1990), his fanclub
was still called 영원;Yeong-won in 1997
Tiffany Young : Young One (2018)
Tomorrow By Together (TXT) : Young One (2019)
Yeong-won/Young One is a beautiful and meaningful name but some ppl are making it dirty pic.twitter.com/sX0AeEi6ne— 민슈가천재짱짱맨뿡뿡 (@SISO0309) April 25, 2019
Those TXT fan who knowing #YoungOne is Tiffany Young’s fandom name, but still add it onto their user name are lacking braincells. You are supporting Bighits stealing action! Imagine some artist want to use ARMY as fandom name, we’ll eat them alive.— 阿湯⁷ (@sooop_twt) April 26, 2019
Lisa (fandom) vs illit (fandom)
Lily = Lilly (Singular)
Lilies = Lillys (plural)
SAMA PRONOUNCE & COPYPASTE
Ikon vs Katseye's fandom
IKON = EYEKON
SAMA PRONOUNCE
Tiffany (fandom) vs TXT (🧙♂️Fandom)
Young ones = Young one
SAMA PRONOUNCE & COPYPASTE
HYBE SO OBSESSED TO YG & SM https://t.co/POjhMgw3Od— Barbie Lalisalia (327) (@BLalisalia) April 23, 2024
Netizens have started to doubt HYBE’s dedication towards being authentic because of these accusations for copying and lack of creativity. The fact that all these incidents happened at around the same time and keep repeating themselves raises concerns about their behavior patterns rather than being isolated events.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Min Hee Jin, CEO of ADOR, called out Bang Si Hyuk (HYBE CEO) for an ongoing conflict during her recent media conference. Among other things leveled against him was a screenshot of a KakaoTalk conversation between the two where he mentioned Aespa.
Min Hee-jin is now showing what purports to be a KakaoTalk message from HYBE’s Bang PD saying: “You can stomp on aespa right? ㅎ”
As in, asking if she (or her group) is confident they can outshadow aespa pic.twitter.com/jH0JBngBlU— Hyunsu Yim (@hyunsuinseoul) April 25, 2024
[NOTPANNKPOP]
Bang Si Hyuk's KakaoTalk conversation revealed by Min Heejin "You can crush Aespa, right?", Knetz react pic.twitter.com/VpWTbHHEfJ— notpannkpop & notnetizenbuzz (@notpannkpop_) April 25, 2024
blackpink will always be the standard 😭 pic.twitter.com/jrp0HPl6Mi— ミ☆ (@bIinksupreme) April 25, 2024
I wanna say…. 2019 was so suspicious https://t.co/dh4xDibhn3— 🆔 x ||¦||¦¦ Liyennie 🍉 on break finding $$$$ (@liyenniee) April 25, 2024
Hybe ruined the Kpop Industry. Bang PD is not a genius. He put his money over his head 💀.
His company debuted groups that can't even hold a note,can't sing on encore stages,always lipsynching and with backtracking ☠️. https://t.co/di1jZqTQKe— 🍀Z (@__zvtterxxtt__) March 28, 2024
She's right tho bang pd has connections with cj,hanteo,kakao,kbs and even top politicians including the president and someone with connection with the cia,koreaboo,dispatch and basically every other media https://t.co/k1niczD0Di pic.twitter.com/DKICf3UIjW— ChoigdMulti🇵🇸 (@GdtopkaiBIGBANG) April 25, 2024
In light of these controversies, will HYBE continue down the path of copying and disrespecting other K-pop groups, risking its reputation and credibility in the process?
