I want to make it clear that I’ve been following BTS since debut. I’ve watched these seven men grow from being an unknown group in a small company to one of the biggest acts in music right now. I’m not writing this to tear BTS down. I’m writing this because I care, and right now, I’m worried.
Let’s talk about Bang Si-Hyuk or “Bang PD,” as fans call him.
Bang Si-Hyuk is the founder and chairman of HYBE, the company behind BTS. He discovered them and produced many of their early songs. BTS wouldn’t exist without him, and I acknowledge that.
But a lot has changed over the past decade since BTS’s debut and not all of it is good.
The Comeback Fans Have Been Waiting For
ARIRANG was released on March 20, 2026, nearly four years after BTS went on hiatus to complete their mandatory military service in South Korea. Some fans have been waiting almost six years for a proper album since the group released Be back in November 2020.
After BTS finished their military service in South Korea in 2025, ARMYs couldn’t contain their excitement anymore. After waiting for so long, the group was finally together again. But something was off.
BTS is famous for supplying fans with an endless stream of content. Livestreams, variety shows, cover songs, behind the scenes footage of the group recording their songs or music videos, vlogs that give ARMYs a look into BTS’ busy schedule. Instead, the group was mostly silent outside of solo schedules for individual members. It was strange but again, ARMYs were patient, hoping the wait would be worth it.
For months, HYBE had described ARIRANG as being a deeply personal project that would explore BTS’s Korean heritage. Bang himself was the one who decided to name the album after Korea’s unofficial national anthem “Arirang.” The folk song is famous for its message of separation, longing and resilience. Bang felt was a perfect metaphor to reflect the group’s journey as they enter a new phase in their career.
When ARIRANG dropped, it was mostly an English album produced and written primarily by American/Western songwriters. Drawing mainly from American hip-hop and pop, any reference to Korean culture was superficial at best. Nothing about the record gave us an idea of where BTS are heading in their career. Nor did it nod to their past of exploring the struggles Koreans their age go through.
Obviously, ARIRANG debuted at No. 1 in multiple countries thanks to their fans. Reception has been mixed but ARMY has stuck by the album. Yet even their patience is starting to run thin now that we’re firmly in the Arirang era.
Where is the Choreography?
Now that BTS is on their ARIRANG World Tour, one thing that has stood out is the lack of choreography. The group is known for having intense, powerful dancing. Yet for most of their concerts in Goyang, the members walked around the stage and when they did dance, their moves weren’t as strong. Even older songs like “Fire” and “MIC Drop” had minimal choreography.
In an interview with Billboard, Bang discussed the album and mentioned that the choreography for songs like “Swim” was intentionally designed to be as minimal as possible. Initially, BTS was hesitant since dancing is a core part of their identity but Bang was firm in his decision. He said BTS can “command a stage just by existing.”
I understand what he was going for, but this new direction wasn’t something BTS trained for originally. It’s hard for artists to entertain an audience with nothing but their voice. It’s a rare gift that very few possess, like Whitney Houston or Justin Bieber. It’s not something you can build by training 12+ hours a day.
BTS built a deep bond with their fandom through their dancing. They learned their choreographies, watched the practice videos over and over. The synchronization, the precision, the storytelling through movement was part of the magic.
Now fans at concerts are watching the members walk across a stage.
Is that commanding presence? Or is that simply… less? If some members can’t perform the intense choreography like they did in the past, HYBE should be honest about that. It’s better to be open about the group’s limitations instead of framing them as some kind of artistic evolution.
Bang Only Cares About Profit
HYBE has made it clear that 2026 is about profit. The entertainment conglomerate is moving away from a management-heavy model toward one centered on labels and IP. They’re tightening its North American operations to cut costs. And HYBE is leaning on reliable sources of revenue like concerts, Weverse, and merchandise.
It’s important to pay attention to these changes because they serve as a warning.
When a company that claimed it was about music and innovation starts putting profits above everything else, the quality of the music usually declines. Songs and concepts are based on what’s trending on TikTok rather than reflect an artist’s vision. Concert tickets are harder to get due to dynamic pricing. Everything starts to look, sound, feel cheap regardless of how much money was poured into it because the soul is gone.
These are not random coincidences. What made HYBE artists stand out from the rest of the crowd is being stripped away because the company only cares about pleasing its shareholders.
Let’s Not Forget About the ADOR/NewJeans Disaster
HYBE owns many smaller labels and subsidiaries, one of them being ADOR. ADOR is home to NewJeans, one of the most successful girl groups in the K-pop industry. NewJeans was created by Min Hee-jin, well-known for working as the creative director for SM Entertainment from 2002 to 2018. She’s responsible for crafting the visual identities of iconic groups like Girls’ Generation (SNSD), f(x), Red Velvet, SHINee and EXO.
After leaving SM, she joined HYBE in 2019. But by 2024 the relationship between HYBE and Min Hee-jin fell apart for all the world to see.
HYBE accused Min of trying to take control of ADOR. Min denied the allegations in an emotional press conference. She released private messages. She accused HYBE, and Bang specifically, of unfair treatment.
According to her, Bang was retaliating after she raised concerns that another sub-label BELIFT LAB had plagiarized NewJeans’ concept for its girl group ILLIT. The parents of the NewJeans members made statements saying Bang would ignore the girls when he passed them in the hallways. Police investigated, lawsuits were filed. It became one of the messiest corporate disputes the K-pop community had ever seen.
Police later found no evidence of wrongdoing by Min Hee-jin, and the charges against her were dropped. Recently, the Seoul Central District Court ruled against HYBE in their fight to terminate the shareholders contract between them and Min Hee-jin because the latter’s actions “did not seem to intend to bring harm or damages to ADOR.” HYBE said it would appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, NewJeans’ future is uncertain. One member, Danielle has been kicked out of the group after HYBE accused her and members of her family for being responsible for the ADOR’s dispute with NewJeans. Another member, Minji hasn’t officially returned though discussions between her and ADOR are still ongoing. A group that was making HYBE enormous amounts of money, found themselves in the middle of a power struggle that didn’t need to happen. Only time will tell if NewJeans’ career will recover.
Now Min Hee-jin and NewJeans aren’t blameless and their actions did play a role in this scandal. But the only reason things got out of hand was HYBE’s decision to be so aggressive without locking down evidence that would prove their allegations. That says a lot about who’s in charge and the culture they’ve cultivated. And no, it’s not positive.
Bang’s Legal Issues Cast a Shadow Over Him and HYBE
Bang Si-Hyuk is currently under criminal investigation in South Korea for fraudulent trading, manipulation of the stock market, as well as violating Korea’s Capital Markets Act.
The allegations stem from when Bang allegedly assured early investors that HYBE had no plans to go public in 2019, while secretly preparing for an IPO. Those investors sold their shares at low prices, and HYBE’s stock later surged after the company went public. Bang reportedly earned about 400 billion Korean won from a private deal with equity firms that other investors were not informed about.
Bang has been questioned by police multiple times, with one session lasting 13 hours. He’s under a travel ban and can’t leave South Korea. A court has frozen his assets, including more than 157 billion Korean won in HYBE shares.
There are also claims from whistleblowers that BTS themselves were used as collateral for loan repayment terms. In 2016, Bang, representing HYBE then called BigHit Entertainment, allegedly issued convertible preferred shares to investors, including a Chinese-backed company called WellBlink, with a guaranteed annual return of 8%. The agreement contained a controversial clause stating that if any member of BTS left the group for other reasons other than death, the investment would be repaid immediately.
Despite this, Bang continues to oversee the creative direction and music production of several HYBE artists. This includes BTS, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, ILLIT, CORTIS and TXT (TOMORROW X TOGETHER). He continues to represent HYBE publicly while maintaining his position as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
How can someone who is under criminal investigation remain in an active leadership position? HYBE says everything was done legally, but with an arrest warrant under review, does the company have a plan in case Bang winds up in jail? His presence in HYBE is currently toxic to the company and its artists.
Bang Si-Hyuk is a complicated figure who built something extraordinary. Now he’s the biggest obstacle to HYBE’s ability to grow in a healthy way.
HYBE is facing scrutiny from just about everywhere. Fans are growing dissatisfied at having to pay more money to support their favorite artists. Past scandals have eroded the company’s reputation. And thanks to the decisions Bang made for ARIRANG, HYBE’s stocks plunged due to concerns that BTS’s comeback isn’t living up the expectations of investors.
Does that sound like steady, trustworthy leadership to you?
HYBE and BTS are bigger than Bang Si-Hyuk. The artists, the staff, and fans all deserve leadership that is stable, transparent, and free from controversy.
Bang stepping down would be the responsible thing to do. He would be putting the artists he claims to love, ahead of his desire to remain as Chairman. Walking away from HYBE would protect the integrity of the company.
That is what real leadership looks like.
I hope he is able to see that. Sooner rather than later.
