“Trying to purposely ruin his career” — Fans outraged over HYBE’s alleged minimal playlisting for BTS’ Taehyung’s latest release, ‘Winter Ahead’

BTS member Kim Taehyung, released his latest track Winter Ahead on November 29, 2024, in collaboration with Park Hyo-shin. Despite the song’s highly anticipated music video and its intricate visuals, fans have expressed outrage at HYBE's allegedly inadequate efforts to promote the release.

The music video, which premiered on YouTube and at Shinsegae Square, garnered acclaim for its artistic depth and Greek mythology references. However, fans argue that the promotional strategies surrounding the song have been lacklustre. The core of the issue lies in Winter Ahead being included in only a couple of major playlists, which fans claim is insufficient to reach a broader audience.

Unlike other BTS solo projects, the song was not featured on widely followed playlists such as New Music Friday or genre-specific ones that could resonate with its jazz-inspired sound. Fans also criticized its placement in the Christmas K-pop playlist, arguing the song's style transcends the traditional K-pop label. Calling out the label, an X user, @1230belV, wrote,

"The way BigHit / Hybe has been moving for Taehyung's new song is unprofessional at all levels. It's like they are saying him that having the autonomy and freedom to do whatever he wants creatively has a cost, so they are trying to purposely ruin his career."

Fans' upset worsened when they noticed that Winter Ahead was not even initially added to the This is V or This is BTS playlists on Spotify, which is a standard practice for BTS members' solo works. Although the track was later added, fans saw this as a delayed and insufficient response. Here are some other reactions from the fans demanding fair treatment towards Taehyung:

"Don’t they get tired of repeating this again and again &everytime he shines more and gets praises from different ppl At least this masterpiece should be treated fairly," said an X user.

"The fact that they are even gatekeeping this v playlist is hilarious," commented another X user.

"they hit a new low with every tae release that’s actually crazy," said a fan.

Fans also took to social media to emphasize the effort he put into the project and the missed opportunity to attract new listeners.

"It’s clear they don't want Winter Ahead to get the recognition it deserves. I'm so sick of seeing him get treated like this," said an X user.

"the art of taehyung is a total jewel, in short, it deserves to be heard by everyone, but unfortunately, his company sabotages it, making it difficult to be visible. let’s stream, being his voice, for his effort & dedication that he has placed in this project," commented another user.

"The song was so beautiful and it has a great potential for new audiences. I wanted to cry, the mistreatment was ridiculous ithis is much worst than friends," said one fan.

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More about HYBE's alleged mistreatment towards BTS' Taehyung and his recent activities

HYBE’s alleged history of mishandling Taehyung's solo endeavours only fueled the backlash from his fan base. Fans recalled issues like limited stock availability, poor social media promotion, and inadequate scheduling for previous releases.

Despite the teaser for Winter Ahead being unveiled on November 24, 2024, they noted a lack of structured promotion, including the absence of posters or announcements on BTS' popular social media accounts.

With Taehyung currently serving in the military until June 2025, fans argue that the label should take greater responsibility for ensuring his work receives proper recognition. Some fans have gone so far as to accuse HYBE of sabotaging his solo career, suggesting that the limited playlisting reflects deliberate neglect.

During Taehyung's absence, his celebrity friends, including the Wooga Squad members, have taken on promotional efforts themselves. The group, consisting of Park Seo-joon, Park Hyung-sik, Choi Woo-shik, and Peakboy, shared posts supporting Winter Ahead on their social media accounts, with V also resharing them.

During a recent three-day leave from his military service, Taehyung sent fans into a frenzy when choreographer Lee Jung-lee shared a video of him showcasing his impressive dance moves.

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Meanwhile, fans are now awaiting Taehyung's upcoming rendition of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, set for release on December 6, 2024.