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HYBE Chairperson Bang Si-hyuk drew attention over the weekend after a picture of him wiping away tears during LE SSERAFIM’s concert went viral. The emotional moment occurred on April 20, 2025, during the group’s EASY CRAZY HOT tour kickoff in Incheon.
At the event, member Huh Yunjin gave a heartfelt speech reflecting on the group’s setbacks and ongoing challenges. Her words visibly moved both Bang Si-hyuk and former Source Music CEO So Sung-jin, who were seen tearing up in the audience.
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The photo quickly spread online, sparking mixed reactions among fans. While many expressed empathy for the HYBE founder, others were more critical. Some argued that the struggles LE SSERAFIM faced were partly due to decisions made under his leadership, suggesting the moment felt contradictory. One netizen commented,
"Remember, THIS MAN was harassed the most in this ordeal. All he wanted was an experienced employee who can make his grps successful.. he was the one who was betrayed I don’t agree with this man & his choices but he always got the worst hate & he is a human too"
Amidst the backlash, many fans defended Bang Si-hyuk, recognizing his involvement in HYBE's past controversies while also underscoring his contributions and intentions as a leader. Some expressed hope that he would learn from his mistakes, while others highlighted the challenges he faced behind the scenes.
"Everyone's not perfect we all make decisions that you have to make as a chairman. I know he had to endure the decisions he made that cause some riffs in his company. It will only make you stronger from here on out," said this netizen.
"There are things I don't agree/decisions made by that man. Too trusting with people that was brought on board. I need him to step up and do better on protecting artists in Hybe. the Th amount of sh!t/hate thrown at lessera, illit, bts and txt have been god awful," wrote an X user.
"Yes, he was the one who brought in MHJ to HYBE & gave her too many chances. But he how can he know that someone can be that evil. It's a costly mistake that we hope he learned from," posted another person on X.
"Say what u want this man has given his best 4 all his artists. He's tried to build a trainee system free of wrongdoing & paid artists good money in any music industry that's a rarity. He literally borrowed money to keep BT5 afloat. He's not the horrible guy every1 wants him to be," read a comment on X.
While some fans expressed sympathy, a substantial number of netizens shared their anger and criticism. Many highlighted previous controversies related to HYBE's leadership and questioned the sincerity behind the emotional display.
"Genuinely laughing at armys and other fans sympathizing and victimizing this vgly, greedy, selfish old man on qrts who was also guilty in this mess and only cared about defending his a** caught with b** who made p*** content. it's even worse than sympathizing with mhj," posted an individual on X.
"Aww that must be so hard for him hiding for an entire year while the girls were facing the blacklash HE caused alone," mentioned this X user.
"Source music ceo leaked pictures of minors and their medical report only to come here and shed crocodile tears," said this netizen.
"I'm sorry to be mean but bpd let in mhj (and her shaman) into hybe who wreaked unimaginable levels of havoc. It affected my main fave and other hybe gg groups too so yeah. Feel some remorse," added this person on X.
Controversies surrounding HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk
Bang Si-hyuk, a prominent figure in South Korea’s music industry and the founder of BIGHIT Music and HYBE Corporation, faced intense scrutiny from the public and industry throughout 2024. A series of high-profile controversies raised serious questions about his leadership, decision-making, and public accountability.
The conflict between HYBE and its subsidiary ADOR, led by CEO Min Hee-jin, marked the start of a turbulent year for the company. In late April 2024, Min accused HYBE and Bang Si-hyuk of replicating NewJeans' concept for another girl group.
Tensions escalated over the following months, culminating in HYBE officially terminating Min’s position on August 27. The controversy was closely monitored by fans and media, intensifying after NewJeans’ emergency YouTube livestream on September 11, which fueled public concern regarding the internal state of the label.
Bang Si-hyuk’s remarks in the Netflix docuseries Popstar Academy: KATSEYE only added to the growing criticism. He stated that “star power” outweighs skill in determining an idol’s success. While some agreed that charisma is crucial in K-pop, many industry professionals and fans condemned his remarks for undermining the significance of training, talent, and hard work.
In October 2024, Bang Si-hyuk found himself at the center of controversy once more when an 18,000-page internal HYBE report leaked during a National Assembly audit. The document allegedly contained derogatory remarks about artists from several major K-pop groups, including BTS, SEVENTEEN, and BLACKPINK, as well as rumors about their personal lives.
Although HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang publicly apologized and dismissed the staff member responsible, many fans and insiders demanded direct accountability from Bang himself. His silence on the matter attracted sharp criticism.
Bang Si-hyuk's decision to skip significant company-related events, such as the National Assembly audit, further fueled frustration. His return to a corporate function without addressing the growing ADOR situation left fans and critics questioning his transparency and commitment to resolving internal issues.
In a year-end poll conducted by JoyNews24, which surveyed 200 entertainment professionals, Bang Si-hyuk was ranked the second “worst figure” of 2024. The outcome highlighted a widespread perception of leadership failure, communication breakdowns, and a loss of industry confidence.
Meanwhile, LE SSERAFIM is set to take their EASY CRAZY HOT tour global following its launch in Incheon. The group will perform for fans across several major cities in Asia, including Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. The tour will then proceed to North America, kicking off in September 2025.
