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On February 20, 2025, Bang Si-hyuk, HYBE's CEO appeared in South Korea after a while amid the ongoing dispute between the label, Min Hee-jin and NewJeans. He attended the 64th regular general meeting of the Korean Business Association which was held at the FKI Tower Conference Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. His appearance, however, became a topic of debate online.
Bang PD's appearance marked his label's official involvement in the association, transitioning from one of the leading K-pop giants to an economic firm. Apart from his appearance, Bang Si-hyuk caught the attention of the netizens for his noticeably slimmer physique. Many noticed his weight loss and took anonymous social media platforms like Theqoo to mention that his look had changed quite a lot since his last public appearance.
During the event, he was seen talking with executives from major IT and tech firms such as Kakao, Naver, KT, IBM Korea, and Dunamu.
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His return to the public eye, however, was met with mixed reactions. Netizens flocked to social media to call out his previous absence from important meetings, including the state audit of HYBE and discussions surrounding ADOR’s internal disputes.
An anonymous user on an online community platform, theqoo wrote,
"You didn't even show up for the state audit of your own company, but you attended the 64th regular general meeting of the Korea Economic Association. Wow."
Some also criticized him for prioritizing corporate meetings over addressing the issue involving ADOR’s CEO Min Hee-jin and the NewJeans (now NJZ) members, who had declared the termination of their contracts with the label.
"While you're here, don't leave the country until you've cleared the immigration process," a user wrote.
"When did you enter the country? I thought you were still stuck in the US," another netizen mentioned.
"Is that the time to attend?? First, apologize for causing a fuss," another person remarked.
"Are you finally here in Korea?," a user added.
Others discussed his appearance as they continued to comment.
"I'm not the only one who thought my impression had changed," a netizen mentioned.
"Why do you look like a different person?," a user added.
HYBE’s CEO Bang Si-hyuk's attendance amid ongoing ADOR dispute
The internal conflict between HYBE and its subsidiary ADOR remains unresolved. The ongoing legal dispute, which began in 2024, escalated when ADOR’s then-CEO, Min Hee-jin, accused HYBE of attempting to take control of NewJeans, while HYBE opposed claims of mismanagement.
The five members of the group also sided with Hee-jin and eventually terminated their contract with the label stating breach of trust and mistreatment.
Most recently, the PR team of the group members (managed by their parents) alleged that Bang Si-hyuk personally intervened to cancel NewJeans’ overseas activities, including their upcoming performance at the ComplexCon in Hong Kong.
While Bang Si-hyuk has yet to publicly address these issues, his decision to attend a corporate event rather than directly confront the ongoing legal and managerial conflict at HYBE has left many questioning his priorities.
As the situation unfolds, both the company’s business strategies and its handling of internal disputes remain under intense scrutiny.
