Blame HYBE? NU’EST’s Disbandment Receives Mixed Reactions From Fans
NU’EST‘s members will be ending their group activities once their contracts end on March 14. PLEDIS Entertainment announced the news in a statement earlier today.
Many fans of the 10-year-old group aren’t ready to say goodbye, but they wish the members all the best in the future. Baekho and Minhyun have decided to stay with their current agency, but JR, Aron, and Ren will be starting anew elsewhere.
I'm grateful to NU'EST for giving us such great music. And I'm grateful to them for giving me the chance to meet all of you, my fellow LOΛEs.
"Because it's you, I've never once regretted my love.
That's how I feel.
Because you're my love, my greatest moments exist in my heart." pic.twitter.com/3QKIJsHwV3— Jee😊 (@jeeelim5) February 28, 2022
In May of 2020, HYBE became the largest shareholder in Pledis Entertainment. Since the acquisition, PLEDIS Entertainment has continued to operate independently with additional support from HYBE.
We are pleased to join Big Hit, which is leading the Korean entertainment industry. This will serve as an opportunity for both Pledis Entertainment and our artists to take the leap forward. We have high expectations for the future based on Pledis’ creativity and Big Hit’s strengths.
We will repay our fans with better content and greater success for our artists in the future.
— Han Sung Soo, CEO of PLEDIS Entertainment
Now, some fans are blaming HYBE for NU’EST’s fate. They claim that NU’EST stopped having group activities after the acquisition.
honestly i blame the stupid hybe merger. before the merger nuest was so active & always said they were going to be together for a long time but after hybe they suddenly stopped having group activities. like why would they stay if they only do what they love doing 2 weeks a year
— lay (@nuestness) February 28, 2022
2012-2017: severe mismanagement era
2017-2018: incomplete group era
2019: finally everything is paying off. theyre together & active & slaying & loves are happy
2020-2022: hybe & sudden nuest inactivity erawe only had ONE year, 2019, where everything was actually going well😭
— lay (@nuestness) February 28, 2022
They have also accused HYBE of not giving its acquired groups the resources and promotions those groups deserve, pointing to GFRIEND as another example. In July of 2019, GFRIEND’s agency, Source Music, became a subsidiary of HYBE (then BigHit Entertainment).
In May of 2021, GFRIEND left Source Music after failing to agree on terms for a contract renewal. Three of the members have since gone on to re-debut as a trio, VIVIZ.
H*be is scary how they collect groups & ruin their career.. that's the plan I see
— Ai.D⁵ ❤ 뉴이스트 (@AiDLovesNuest) February 28, 2022
HYBE destroyed my two favorite groups in one year. That label was worse than a curse.
— LOㅅE my Na.V ~SLOW~ (@vivid_nuest) February 28, 2022
I’m a little salty bc Nuest gets to have a goodbye album and GFriend didn’t
Hybe misogyny
— 베로 🦋 missing sinb (@ARTivitis) February 28, 2022
Other fans, however, say HYBE is not to blame for either group’s disbandment. They have pointed to sales, alleged mismanagement by the groups’ original agencies, and the members’ own decisions to move on.
3 of their members doesnt renew their contracts, but okay lets blame it to HYBE
— BTS #1 GLOBAL ARTIST ⁷ (@queky_) February 28, 2022
Gfriend and Nuest had no sales… NONE… Go fight with Pledis chile.. they was signed to THEM… Some Nuest members must love it since they signing to their company again saur- https://t.co/BRZAXTBWK9
— 🌸its mee🌸 (@dizzydayyz) February 28, 2022
nuest debuted nearly a decade ago and have never been successful this group didn’t get their first win till 8 years after debut. but yeah members moving on with their lives definitely means this is hybe doing. and not the fact that they have had a shîtty career https://t.co/fX4JNOhRxb
— Mya ❤️🔥 (@knjhivve) February 28, 2022
Read more here:
NU’EST To Cap Off Group Activities As Exclusive Contracts Come To An End
