US fans celebrate K-pop group Seventeen amid company tussle

OAKLAND, California – South Korean boy band Seventeen had fans chanting their names in Oakland, California, last week as part of their Right Here world tour to promote the group’s 2024 album, 17 Is Right Here.

“I’ve been a Seventeen fan about six or seven years,” said Ms Ruby Webb, a 21-year-old from Portland, Oregon. “I love them so much. S.Coups, Mingyu, Dino – they’re my babies.”

While there was excitement, the fans – known as Carats – spoke about the recent controversy with South Korean company Hybe that oversees several K-pop artistes, including popular groups BTS, NewJeans and Seventeen.

An internal document that circulated among company executives, including Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk, containing disparaging comments about several K-pop groups was disclosed during a National Assembly audit on Oct 24 by the South Korean National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee.

The report was revealed by Korean pop culture critic Kang Myung-seok.

In the document, some K-pop groups, including Seventeen, were criticised for being “unattractive” and having “too much plastic surgery”. Hybe is the majority shareholder of Pledis Entertainment, which formed Seventeen. 

This followed a series of other controversies in the industry.

K-pop star Hanni, a member of NewJeans, made an appeal in October for better treatment in the K-pop industry during a parliamentary hearing.

K-pop idols are often held to high standards for their behaviour and must maintain a clean public image, including pressure from fans not to have partners.

The company's criticism of Seventeen immediately sparked backlash from Carats.

“I’m mostly disappointed,” said Ms Laura Munoz, 29, who travelled from Kansas to attend the concert. “You support a group, and their own company is not keeping them in mind and wanting to protect them, and being on their side.”

For Ms Webb, however, it was important to focus more on the music than the controversy. “I’m just trying to have my focus and on the members, not a big huge conglomerate,” she said.

Ms Eden Johnson, 22, who attended the concert with Webb dressed as a carrot, felt optimistic at her first Seventeen concert. “I just enjoy it, being at the concert that they (Seventeen) get to be happy in,” she added.

Seventeen member Seungkwan posted a response to the document on Instagram in October, a few days after it was released.

“You have no right to easily insert yourselves into our narrative,” he wrote in Korean. “This applies not just to us, but to other artistes as well. We are not your commodities to be used and enjoyed at will.”

The South Korean group had the biggest-selling album globally in 2023.

Hybe chief executive officer Lee Jae-sang issued an apology statement from the South Korean company that was shared with Reuters.

“I extend a formal apology to all external artistes mentioned in the document,” he wrote in Korean. “I am also in the process of contacting each label directly to apologise, and meeting with all of the Hybe music group’s artistes, who are now facing criticisms for actions taken solely by the company.”

Fans in Oakland arrived dressed as both Carats and carrots, took along posters of their favourite band members and passed out free handmade merchandise for other fans.

The US portion of Seventeen’s tour began in Illinois in October and concluded in Los Angeles on Nov 9. The group will now head to their Asia tour next. REUTERS