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HYBE's chairman, Bang Si Hyuk, set the internet ablaze when he expressed that BTS was never restrained from dating and eating as they liked. He even went a step further to stress the need for idols and idol trainees to have a comprehensive life experience. In a recent interview with Bloomberg on October 13, 2024, "Hitman" Bang stated that he encouraged them to produce their own music. He went on to say,
"Let the trainees DATE and EAT what they wanted. He encouraged them to express themselves on social media & produce their own songs." (Bloomberg as quoted by @setiogi)
A fellow X user, @setiogi, posted about the particular portion of the published version of the Bloomberg interview on X, formerly Twitter, of Bang Si-Hyuk's thoughts which further confirmed his claims of giving BTS autonomy. However, a fan, @Jinithelonewolf, questioned whether the HYBE Chairman's statement held any truth, claiming that BTS Namjoon and Taehyung confessed to not being allowed to eat ice creams during their trainee days in Run BTS! 2022 Special Episode - Telepathy Part 1.
To add some background, on October 13, 2023, Bang Si-Hyuk, the Founder and Chairman of HYBE Corporation, had an interview with Bloomberg where he discussed the global impact and influence of K-pop, BTS' intention on creating a 10th-anniversary project for HYYH in 2025, and more. However, the statement evoked mixed emotions among netizens, in a way that couldn't have been fathomed.
"He allowed them to grow and mature": Fans were of divided opinions over HYBE chairman's statement
A similar attitude was expressed in 2012 by Hwang Min-Hyun aka Minhyun, an idol from the boy group NU'EST, from Pledis. As posted by X user, @RedSharkey, the singer highlighted that dating fosters a stronger emotional connection, and Pledis actually encouraged its artists to date rather than placing restrictions on it.
"The agency doesn't necessarily ban dating. In fact, the agency recommends it so we can let our emotions flow. But there is simply no time. It would mean I have to cut down on sleep to make the time to go on dates. That's not easy"—Hwang Min-Hyun
A NU'EST fan, @Respatikasih_, commented on the post highlighting how funny the statement sounded as the artist preferred his sleep above dating.
Although HYBE enables its idols to date, none of its musicians have made any public declarations about their relationships. In sharp contrast, artists from other top agencies are more vocal about their relationships.
Nevertheless, some fans like @MyMoon_KSJ1, @lilyksj, and @koorelation, among others, didn't hide their disdain and claimed that HYBE's Chairman doesn't practice what he preaches and independently voiced their strong opinions on X. Meanwhile, others commented on the post by @setiogi and admired the ideologies of HYBE's Founder and Chairman, Bang Si-Hyuk.
On top of that, X user, @setiogi, posted various screenshots on their tweet thread which proved that BTS always had autonomy in their music and personal lives, both as artists and individuals.
Artists typically incorporate their feelings, convictions, pleasures, and even struggles into their works of art, condensing them into songs. The authenticity of a song's delivery is enhanced when its lyrics are drawn from the performer's own experiences. Idols' performances can be enhanced by their own relationship histories, given that a substantial number of their songs deal with love and passion.
Furthermore, another BTS ARMY and an X user, @BANGTANSJOONIE, singled out HYBE Chairman, Bang Si-Hyuk's statement that BTS would've gone ahead and released the 10th-anniversary project of their album HYYH (2015) regardless of who they renewed their contract with. This further reiterates that BTS has full control over their music and autonomy over their lives.
In other developments, BTS Jungkook is set to release his debut solo album, GOLDEN, on November 3, 2023. While BTS Jimin's documentary film, Jimin's Production Diary, is slated to be aired on October 23, 2023, on Weverse.
