Controversies Surrounding HYBE Raised Continuously on SNS
Global Cyber University Announces Legal Action
"Enrollment Before Debut and Fame... No Group Association"
Amid ongoing controversies related to HYBE, the largest entertainment company in South Korea, Global Cyber University (President Gong Byeong-yeong) announced that it will take strong legal action against the malicious slander spreading indiscriminately about the university.
On the 30th, Global Cyber University revealed this fact and stated that the six BTS members graduated from Global Cyber University, emphasizing, "They all enrolled in Global Cyber University before officially debuting as BTS or before becoming famous." This directly refutes recent claims circulating on social networking services (SNS), YouTube, and online communities that Global Cyber University is connected to a religious meditation group, and that BTS, of whom six out of seven members graduated from the university, entered the university due to ties with that group.
Global Cyber University is a four-year accredited distance university officially established in 2010 with approval from the Ministry of Education. Graduates receive a formal bachelor's degree, and the university is legally and administratively separate from any religious facilities or specific organizations. The suspicion that religious content is taught during university classes is also untrue. Global Cyber University denied operating any religious facilities or classes within the university.
Despite these clarifications from Global Cyber University, malicious rumors continue to spread on SNS, such as "The corporation and Global Cyber University are related to a religious group," "Religious activity classes are held at the university," and "There is a close connection with HYBE." The university stated, "BTS members auditioned for Big Hit Entertainment in 2010 and trained as trainees before debuting in 2013. Since their enrollment was before or shortly after their debut, it is unreasonable to associate them with any specific group." The years BTS members entered the university are ▲2013 (Suga) ▲2014 (RM, J-Hope) ▲2015 (V, Jimin) ▲2017 (Jungkook).
Meanwhile, suspicions linking HYBE to a religious meditation group continue to be raised on SNS and online communities. The main points of suspicion include: ▲the hand gestures of Billlie, a girl group under HYBE's Belift Lab, resembling the hand exercises of the group ▲the 'OMG' music video by NewJeans, a girl group under HYBE's ADOR, containing criticism of the group ▲the mention of the 'OMG' music video in a KakaoTalk message revealed by Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR, during a press conference ▲the disbandment date of GFriend, a girl group under HYBE's Source Music, coinciding with an important date for the group ▲the angel concept of Le Sserafim, a girl group under Source Music ▲and the fact that most male idol group members under HYBE graduated from Global Cyber University.
In response, Big Hit Music issued a notice on the 28th, announcing legal action against various rumors surrounding BTS. The agency stated, "We have detected numerous organized attempts to defame and slander BTS," and warned, "We consider this matter a serious infringement on the artists' honor and will respond strictly by appointing an additional law firm on top of our ongoing legal measures."
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