“Literally using them for his personal grudge” — Internet reacts as MC Mong calls out SM amid EXO Xiumin’s Music Bank ban controversy

South Korean veteran celebrity and head of the company One Hundred, MC Mong (Shin Dong-hyun), has spoken out against SM Entertainment regarding the recent controversy surrounding EXO’s Xiumin.

On March 5, 2025, he took to one of his social media accounts to share a lengthy message addressing the EXO member's exclusion from KBS events or any broadcasts featuring SM Entertainment artists. Notably, SM Entertainment is Xiumin's former company.

For the unversed, Xiumin was preparing for his solo debut album, and his current agency, IBN100, had planned for him to perform on a KBS stage. However, IBN100 later announced that he was unofficially removed from the lineup.

In response, MC Mong spoke up, condemning what he viewed as a complete injustice. However, some fans shared speculations that his history of personal conflicts with SM Entertainment may have influenced his decision to speak out against them at this time.

"Literally using them for his personal grudge with sm," tweeted a fan on X.

A fan commented upon this controversy (image via X/@ivykai88)

Many fans took to X to share their opinions on MC Mong's comment, some saying he is making the situation worse.

"He’s a shady character who obviously used and exploited CBX’s situation for his personal agenda!" said a fan.

"LEAVE XIUMIN OUT OF YOUR FEUD OMG??" wrote another fan.

"He’s worsening the damage……," added a netizen.

Several netizens expressed similar sentiments, many telling him to leave Xiumin out of his personal feuds.

"Just dont use ur idol for ur own feud," wrote a fan.

"This is never ending," commented another fan.

"this is between sm and mc mong after all," added a user.

---

Xiumin's expulsion from KBS activities gains heat due to One Hundred Label's co-founder MC Mong's involvement

MC Mong, also known as Shin Dong-hyun, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer who gained popularity in the 2000s for his fusion of hip-hop, pop, and comedy-infused performances. He first debuted in 1998 as part of the hip-hop group "People Crew."

His recent remarks regarding Xiumin’s exclusion stem from the fact that his company, IBN100, operates as a sub-label under One Hundred Label, which he co-founded alongside Chairman Cha Ga-won.

Following IBN100’s statement earlier this week about Xiumin’s removal from KBS events, MC Mong hinted at releasing a recorded conversation that could serve as an evidence against SM Entertainment.

In a lengthy Instagram post, he strongly criticized SM Entertainment for allegedly blocking the EXO member from performing on music programs. He also appeared to call out Chris Lee (Lee Sung-soo, former CEO of SM Entertainment), accusing him of deception while threatening to reveal a potentially incriminating recording.

Addressing Lee Sung-soo directly, MC Mong accused him of hypocrisy and misconduct, saying:

"Do you remember when you came to my house to apologize? You’re all stuck on your little island, committing nothing but savage and violent acts. As an adult, this is just shameful. Keep up this nonsense. Someone who has never made music is now the head of A&R, and an ignorant manager is running the company like a reckless fool."

MC Mong claimed that Lee Sung-soo had previously confided in him at a law office, expressing a desire to protect himself from his uncle’s influence, likely referring to SM’s founder, Lee Soo-man. He recalled Lee Sung-soo accusing his uncle of blocking broadcasts and engaging in questionable actions.

However, MC Mong alleged that despite these complaints, Lee Sung-soo went on to commit even worse offenses, likening his behavior to bullying the weak and stating that what he was doing was even more severe than school violence. He further criticized SM Entertainment, calling the company “beastly and uncivilized” due to its actions.

Regarding IBN100’s official statement on Xiumin’s exclusion, the agency said:

"Xiumin is set to release his solo album ‘Interview X’ on March 10. We made multiple efforts to arrange meetings with KBS to secure his appearances on music programs, but our calls were ignored. Eventually, we were told informally that he could not appear on shows featuring SM artists."

The agency further condemned the decision, arguing that KBS, as a public broadcaster, should not prevent their artists from appearing on broadcasts due to conflicts with a specific company. They expressed concern that if this continued, their artists would be unable to promote alongside SM artists, implying SM’s possible influence over KBS’s programming decisions.

Xiumin’s exclusion has sparked major controversy within the K-pop community, with new developments emerging due to MC Mong’s involvement and his outspoken remarks on the matter.