HYBE is under fire over hiring controversy linked to former First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
Reports reveal HYBE briefly hired Mr. Kim, husband of Ms. Cho—a top aide to Kim Keon Hee—on July 2 for its External Cooperation Team. The hiring was revoked shortly after.
HYBE told NoCut News:
“He briefly joined the company but then resigned.”
A HYBE official added:
“He joined through a formal hiring procedure but hadn’t disclosed the identity of his spouse. Under current regulations, the company cannot check an applicant’s family connections.”
Mr. Kim has a background as a parliamentary aide and was Policy Aide to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport until recently. He passed a government employment review last month, making him eligible for the HYBE position.
His appointment to this political post raised eyebrows, as insiders say he lacked election campaign or legislative experience. A former official under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration suspected Mr. Kim had “backing” from someone influential.
This comes amid ongoing fraud investigations into HYBE founder Bang Si Hyuk, with authorities planning criminal charges under the Capital Markets Act.
As news spread, international fans speculated on HYBE’s possible political ties to the former administration and former First Lady.
Twitter users responded sharply:
“So BSH is being protected by the dictator who declared Martial law, his wife accused of plagiarism, stick price manipulation and corruption, and HYBE hiring someone from her inner circle? Inch resting!” — @snoozebyyoongi
“Bang Shihyuk is being protected by the wife of South Korea’s former president AND dictator, Yoon Suk-yeol. The same man who wanted to k!ll his own people btw. Let that sink in.” — @admirerOx
“They used BTS’ money to catapult themselves into corruption… I hope BTS sees this and skeddales themselves out of HYBE.” — @Lotuswhale613
“So now we all know why they threw Yoongi under the bus, to take attention away from the first lady’s scandals. You can rot in jail Bang Si Hyuk.” — @eryunki
The HYBE controversy is heating up as investigations and fan backlash grow.
