HYBE’s Secret $25M Purchase Turns Out To Be Johnny Depp’s PR Firm, Raising Concerns
Recently, online communities were abuzz with curiosity after it was reported that HYBE had spent $25 million USD to acquire 51% stakes in a mysterious company. The acquisition occurred on August 1, 2024.
According to follow-up reports, the company that was acquired in this deal is a US-based public relations agency. HYBE’s semi-annual report revealed that The Agency Group PR LLC (TAG PR), a Santa Monica-based non-listed company, has been added to the list of subsidiaries under HYBE America with a 51% stake in HYBE’s name. A HYBE official stated the goal of this move was to “strengthen the public relations resources of Hybe America.”
But the acquisition has raised concerns among fans, as they discovered TAG PR’s involvement in the infamous libel case between Johnny Depp and his former wife and actress Amber Heard in 2022. The trial was a very public spectacle that saw Johny Depp awarded $15 million USD in damages after he sued Heard for an op-ed she penned in the Washington Post in 2018. Despite Depp’s victory in the court of law, the court of public opinion began to turn on him, with many believing that the trial re-victimized Heard—a survivor of domestic abuse. Johnny Depp’s representatives were also accused of deliberately running a hate campaign to tarnish Heard’s image and safety.
As it turns out, HYBE’s new subsidiary, TAG PR, has Melissa Nathan listed as one of its two managers. She is also the President of the LLC. Nathan was Depp’s PR representative during the Depp vs. Heard trial. She was also recently in the headlines after actor Justin Baldoni hired her for crisis PR management amidst his rift with Blake Lively.
HYBE acquires PR firm that represented Johnny Depp during his divorce proceedings with Amber Heard to strengthen U.S. PR efforts in 1H 2024. pic.twitter.com/qRPq1E4Rt7
— . (@NJBUBBLEGUM) September 17, 2024
Some of Nathan’s other controversial clients include Drake and YouTuber Logan Paul.
OMG I did some digging and it gets even darker than that… Melissa Nathan (founder of TAG PR) used to be the executive vice president of Hiltzik PR, who are well known to have worked with some of the worst ab*sers in hollywood. She also represented members of the Trump family‼️ https://t.co/MsFdAvkRTk pic.twitter.com/mofqpusP1G
— ella ✿ (@bunniniz) September 18, 2024
TAG PR and Nathan’s backgrounds have clearly alarmed K-Pop fans, many of whom saw the acquisition as a guilty confession on HYBE’s part.
let’s think for a second as to why they would need this specific pr firm https://t.co/uEKlMGoqCh
— moni⁷🧸 (@yoongisbatman) September 17, 2024
Hybe is definitely guilty of something bro …. https://t.co/e93G7Xrz8Y
— MILKOO (@milkoo111) September 17, 2024
?????
that firm has a track record of representing questionable people after the depp trial. this is extremely alarming, disturbing, and I genuinely do NOT care about the business aspect of this acquisition bc everyone knows DAMN WELL what this means. who is hybe protecting? https://t.co/6JT0qsYf7S
— a🍉 (@stillwithjin) September 17, 2024
Hybe is guilty of really heinous crimes and you can’t convince me otherwise. https://t.co/QO5XPxHnSh
— Sofi 🔻🌺 (@resinthunder) September 17, 2024
HYBE’s acquisition of TAG PR has joined the long list of controversies the corporation has been hit with consecutively in the past few months, starting with its feud with Min Hee Jin, controversies involving top executives of the company such as Scooter Braun, Park Ji Won, Bang Si Hyuk, Nu Kim, and David Bolno, as well as back-to-back health crisis of multiple idols under the company.
Read more about it here.
