Korean netizens react to an article stating "NewJeans is replaceable"

AKP STAFF

dealsite.co.kr

HYBE, Korea’s top entertainment company by market cap, is facing many controversies.

This stems from the release of an internal report containing blunt assessments of rival idols' appearances, including from SM, JYP, YG, and smaller companies. Since the document first surfaced during a National Assembly audit, additional content from the report has spread across online communities, fueling the backlash.

According to media outlet Dealsite, one particularly striking point in the report is HYBE’s evaluation of its leading girl group, NewJeans. The article analyzes the report and oddly refers to NewJeans as “replaceable.” This suggests an underlying belief that HYBE’s other artists could compensate for any gaps left by NewJeans.

NewJeans has undeniably become HYBE’s flagship girl group. Their debut songs "Attention" and "Hype Boy," released in July 2022, quickly became massive hits, even simultaneously claiming the top two spots on Melon, and setting new records for a debut group.

However, the ongoing management dispute surrounding ADOR has negatively impacted NewJeans' image. Although they managed to make a comeback in Korea in May and debut in Japan in June, their performance fell short of the lofty expectations.

As of the end of June 2024, ADOR’s net profit had decreased by 5% year-on-year, totaling 11 billion KRW (~7.9 million USD). With no domestic comeback planned for the second half of the year, ADOR’s revenue is expected to decline compared to the same period in 2023, marking the first year of decline since NewJeans debuted.

Additionally, revenue from advertising and corporate partnerships is also anticipated to drop. NewJeans ranked high in brand reputation last year, with Minji at No. 1 and Hanni at No. 26, leading to numerous endorsements.

However, since the management dispute erupted in April, their brand reputation has been slipping, falling to 10th place in April, 29th in May, and 48th in June. By September, NewJeans was no longer in the top 50.

An IB industry representative commented, “With NewJeans falling out of HYBE’s favor, their future activities may face some limitations. With declining brand reputation and other setbacks, a slowdown in profitability is inevitable.”

However, an article released by DealSite, claimed that despite NewJeans’ downward trend, HYBE remains confident, as the company has other successful idol groups with strong fandoms. This confidence likely underpinned HYBE’s firm stance during the ADOR management dispute.

The article highlighted, "First, HYBE’s powerhouse BTS is set to return. Jin, who has completed his military service, is expected to make a full comeback soon, J-Hope completed his military service, and BTS plans to resume full-group activities by June 2025 as the remaining members— V, RM, Jungkook, Jimin, and SUGA—complete their service."

Additionally, the media outlet stated that HYBE’s new generation of groups is also seeing remarkable growth despite the ADOR dispute. Rookie groups like TXT, ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, TWS, and ILLIT have been delivering impressive results.

Album sales and streaming figures have soared. ENHYPEN and BOYNEXTDOOR each saw album sales rise by 30% and 22% from previous releases, earning them 60.1 billion KRW (43.45 million USD) and 32.4 billion KRW (23.4 million USD) in album sales alone this year. HYBE’s Japan-based group &TEAM also broke records, moving from platinum certification (250,000 units) with their previous release to now double platinum certification (500,000 units).

TXT, now in its sixth year, recorded 35.6 billion KRW (25.7 million USD) in album sales, ranking third after SEVENTEEN (217.3 billion KRW/157.15 million USD) and ENHYPEN.

ILLIT has shown strong streaming performance, surpassing 400 million cumulative streams on Spotify in Q3, achieving this milestone in record time for a K-pop group’s debut song. Considering that their only release is the mini-album "Super Real Me," their achievements are unprecedented.

KATSEYE, HYBE’s North America-focused group, has also gained traction. Their debut EP, "SIS," released in August, is quickly climbing the charts. The group’s monthly listeners on Spotify surpassed 11 million, approaching near the top-tier K-pop level. With over 100,000 album sales in North America, they are expected to become a significant global act. Additionally, with an upcoming promotion with American department store Target, they are likely to see further success in the coming year.

This latest article insinuating that NewJeans can be easily replaced by other HYBE artists has sparked a heated discussion on Korean online communities. Many Korean netizens have argued that NewJeans would not be replaceable by any group in the industry. They commented:

"How low can this article be?"

"This media outlet was paid by HYBE."

"What? Lol."

"Why do they not feel ashamed?"

"This is such a low article."

"If HYBE thinks NewJeans is replaceable, then let them go."

"Who wants to be part of a company like that?"

"You can see how they view their artists."

"Replaceable?"

"Pathetic, lol. Acting cocky about something they won’t be able to do even in 100 years. Except for NewJeans, all of your girl groups are seriously awful.”