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HYBE identifies corporation behind LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT's 280 million KRW smear campaign; fans point to SM Ent
An identified defendant in LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT's defamation case has been linked by fans to SM Entertainment for their past conflict with HYBE. Read to know about it.
Popular HYBE girl groups, LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT, were maligned online by several YouTube channels and a 280 million KRW lawsuit was filed against them by HYBE, Belift Lab and Source Music in August 2024. According to Seoul Wire, a South Korean media outlet, the entertainment label has identified one of the individuals responsible for the smear campaign. As per the latest updates, HYBE has submitted a request for correction of the party indication.
HYBE's recent move regarding the case was disclosed by the Seoul Western District Court on February 20. The agency uncovered the individual's identity through the evidence discovery process in a U.S. District Court. It was the result of HYBE’s September 9 request to the court to allow Google LLC to conduct discovery for use in foreign legal proceedings under Section 1782 of the Federal Code against the channel. However, this is only the starting point, as the identified defendant is just one of several individuals implicated in the case.
Previously, during the August civil lawsuit case's media coverage, seven YouTube channels were found to be involved in the online maligning of LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT. The names of the channels in question are Cute Rabbit Jjang, EnterPick, People Box, Da Issue, NewJeansFam, Issue Tan and Wangjam Issue. The defamatory videos falsely accused ILLIT, a K-pop group under Belift Lab, of plagiarizing other artists' content, and also spread misinformation about the lack of skills of the members of LE SSERAFIM, who are under Source Music.
The identified defendant has been written as 'corporation', and fans have been speculating them to be a part of a big corporate firm like SM Entertainment. The basis of the speculation is the July 2024 reports by TenAsia and other media outlets regarding SM Entertainment having hired an outside company to manipulate public opinion during its management conflict with HYBE back in 2023. The conflict between the two big talent management companies arose when HYBE tried to acquire SM and become its largest shareholder. The reports accused SM of hiring a public relations agency, Astrafe, to allegedly spread biased information that favored the agency while being detrimental to HYBE.
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