SM Entertainment’s Then-CEO’s Now-Deleted Comments About HYBE Resurface Amidst Ongoing Conflicts

This article is part of our coverage of HYBE vs. ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. You can read more and view the entire timeline here.

Recently, the HYBE-ADOR feud has developed further, sparked by Min Hee Jin‘s removal as ADOR‘s CEO and NewJeans‘ alleged mistreatment.

After this, NewJeans held an unexpected live stream, airing their grievances with the company and demanding that Min Hee Jin be reinstated as CEO. The group also claimed they were being mistreated and excluded by HYBE staff, sparking an investigation.

NewJeans’ Hanni Personally Addresses Their Discord With HYBE In Now-Deleted Broadcast

As the conflict that now directly involves NewJeans has played out, words from SM Entertainment’s Then-CEO about HYBE have resurfaced.

In 2023, after Lee Soo Man was seemingly ousted from SM, HYBE made headlines for seemingly attempting to acquire SM Entertainment through purchased stakes.

Though this was circumvented by Kakao purchasing a higher percentage of stakes in the company, the move inspired criticism from many, including Then-CEO Lee Sung Soo. After exposing Lee Soo Man in more than one video, the CEO then directed comments towards HYBE in a now deleted or privated YouTube video titled “The Reason Why SM Is Against HYBE’s Hostile Takeover.”

Several points were made, including one that stated that HYBE would put SM artists on a lower priority.

A netizen’s post reflecting on this video has gone viral as others chime in. Some have cited the treatment of other groups under companies acquired by HYBE, like the now-disbanded GFriend and Fromis_9.

maturing is realizing they were right all along https://t.co/XpcOH06pPV pic.twitter.com/4L25SutUhX

— nil 𝜗𝜚 (@newjiram) September 12, 2024

i hope yall realize this that it already happened. hybe bought over so many companies in 2019 to 2020 and ultimately gfriend took a hit and disbanded after, and they are not the only ones who have been going through mistreatment. https://t.co/lcnZOVFnG6

— 🐦‍⬛ char (@SUGAWARAVITY) September 14, 2024

Qrts need to realize this person isn’t saying sm is a good company bc both are terrible, what they’re saying is that sm was right that if hybe took over sm the groups would’ve been pushed to the basement and stripped of their concepts and unique musical identities https://t.co/JtZ6XeYam9

— . (@riizism) September 13, 2024

taking into account the hostile attitude towards groups that bang sihyuk didn't create (gfriend, fromis, newjeans…) they were actually planning to mistreat or mitigate the groups in the sm, specifically aespa. https://t.co/XPtmulaSUm

— 💙🩷💛💚💜🐰 (@nyanaerin) September 12, 2024

even before this, hybe trying to take over sm kings terrified me.. hybe already has bought/now owns so many kpop companies and it’s so concerning, it’s like they want monopoly over the whole industry.. 1 company should not be able to buy out and control so many kpop companies https://t.co/83DnfMOQFy

— clove (@gunwookworld) September 13, 2024