HYBE America Executive Takes A Shot At Protest Trucks Amid Fan Campaign Against Zionism

Many believed it to be a direct acknowledgement.
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Koreaboo

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In the midst of fans calling for HYBE to distance itself from the Zionist political ideology, an employee of the label’s American subsidiary has seemingly responded to the collective efforts put forward by a group of ARMYs.

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| hybe.co.kr

The ongoing violence against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip by Israel, which the International Court of Justice has found a “plausible genocide” (according to a United Nations report), has invoked a huge voice of dissent globally, with different communities mobilizing to ask for the killings to be stopped. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement has taken the forefront in making the public’s voices heard by institutions. The movement has been adapted in different community spaces in different ways, and within the K-Pop fandom, it was reflected first in the “Big 4” boycott.

For HYBE particularly, fans have been demanding the company to divest from Zionism, which includes distancing its operations from Scooter Braun, the CEO of HYBE America. Braun, in addition to his already unfavorable image with fans due to the alleged mismanagement of his previous artists, is by many appearances an open supporter of Zionist ideologies and has a history of supporting the current right-wing Israeli government.

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He was also previously called out for his insensitive post amidst the violence in Gaza and West Bank.

 

 

 

To communicate their criticism and desires to the label, a group of Pro-Palestinian fans organized a protest truck that was sent to the Seoul headquarters. The truck displayed the large-scale destruction of life and infrastructure in Gaza, along with a message that called for HYBE to “stand for humanity, for the right side of history, and against violence.”

Apart from the truck, fans have also been petitioning, trending tags, and organizing a large-scale boycott to have their voices heard. But HYBE has so far kept quiet on this issue, except for a brief statement given to a Korean media outlet, which was met with fierce criticism. But many believe that a HYBE America executive might have addressed this fan-led movement, specifically, the protest truck.

On March 14, KST, many fans noticed that Allison Kaye, the President of Music at HYBE America/ SB Projects, had posted a picture of a birthday bus sent by fans for BTS member Suga in front of HYBE’s Seoul office. The caption read, “Know what’s better than protest truck? A fan bday bus,” which many interpreted as a potential jab at the protest truck fans had sent in February.

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Allison Kaye (center) with LE SSERAFIM | @allisonjamiekaye/Instagram

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Many consider this story a direct response to the protest truck and a confirmation that HYBE is indeed aware of the situation. If this Instagram story was indeed a jab at fans for sending the protest truck in support of Palestine, many fans feel that Kaye’s public jab at ARMY would be a marked departure from HYBE’s long-standing professionalism in their public interactions.

This story also brought attention to her previous social media posts, which many disapproved of. One such post was her response to Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, whom she called a “horrible disgusting antisemite” under a Tweet that demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and explained her stance on “peaceful coexistence” in the region.

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So far, the rift that has occurred between HYBE and a significant portion of its fanbases has been widened by the label’s continued silence on this issue. It remains to be seen whether Kaye’s response prompts the Korean label to address the situation as well.

Source: OHCHR (1) and (2)
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