HYBE Blasted For “Boasting” After Dangerous Event Conditions Lead To Ambulance Incident
Fans of BOYNEXTDOOR were left frustrated and concerned following a recent pop-up event in Seoul organized by the group’s agency, KOZ Entertainment (a subsidiary of HYBE). Held on January 10, the event drew over 1,000 attendees on its opening day but quickly became a source of controversy due to poor planning and major safety concerns.
One massive issue was the lack of advanced registration, which forced fans to wait in line for hours just to secure on-site reservations. The method proved to be chaotic, as some fans resorted to lining up overnight in sub-zero temperatures, with nighttime lows reaching -10°C (14°F). Unfortunately, one fan who had waited in the freezing cold collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
The aftermath of the event sparked outrage online, especially after KOZ Entertainment released a statement highlighting the large number of attendees without addressing the issues that arose.
BOYNEXTDOOR Holds Pop-Up Event Featuring Official Characters… 100 Visitors First Day
— StarNews
[기사] 보이넥스트도어, 공식 캐릭터 '쁘넥도' 팝업 개최..첫날 1천 명 방문
> https://t.co/PQQBSPELvI#BOYNEXTDOOR #보이넥스트도어 #BND
— KOZ ENTERTAINMENT OFFICIAL (@KOZ_Entofficial) January 11, 2025
Many fans and netizens perceived this as the company boasting while ignoring the dangerous conditions and logistical failures that had put fans at risk.
Criticism of HYBE and KOZ Entertainment quickly gained traction, with posts on popular Korean forums like Instiz highlighting the companies’ lack of preparation and disregard for fan safety. The incident has raised questions about event management and whether companies are prioritizing profits over the well-being of fans.
- “Crazy….”
- “Honestly, for something so poorly organized, it doesn’t even seem like they got a massive crowd or erased the mess-ups with media play.”
- “LOL, even KOZ is part of HYBE so.”
- “I can’t bring myself to like them because of these inhumane viral tactics.”
- “HYBE treating people like they’re not human. It suits them.”
