Kim Tae-ho, Belift Lab CEO and Hybe COO, speaks during a comprehensive audit of public institutions under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Oct. 24. (Newsis)

A public petition calling for a National Assembly hearing to investigate alleged social misconduct by Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, has surpassed 50,000 signatures, qualifying it for a committee review.

The petition, submitted on Nov. 15, argues for urgent action to address issues related to Hybe’s operations. The petitioner emphasized the need to address loopholes in existing laws revealed by Hybe’s actions, proposing both revisions to current regulations and the establishment of new ones.

Having gathered the required number of signatures, the petition will now be reviewed to determine its referral to the appropriate standing committee. Under existing regulations, petitions exceeding 50,000 signatures within 30 days are required to be reviewed by a subcommittee. If deemed valid, petitions can proceed to a plenary session for further deliberation.

Among the allegations, the petition highlighted concerns over Hybe and its fandom platform Weverse being designated as “Top Job Creation Company” by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, despite transparency issues in the selection and evaluation processes.

Hanni, a member of K-pop group NewJeans, looks at Kim Ju-young, Ador CEO and Hybe CHRO, during a National Assembly audit in Yeouido, Seoul, on Oct. 15. (Newsis)

These concerns were raised during a National Assembly audit on Oct. 15, which noted a lack of documentation regarding the decision. The petitioner urged the legislature to scrutinize alleged negligence by government officials and consider disciplinary measures against those involved.

The petition also accuses Hybe of engaging in anti-competitive practices, including producing and distributing reports with defamatory content targeting competitors’ artists and monetizing Weverse, its dominant fandom platform, in a way that disadvantages others in the industry.

Allegations of unfair inter-subsidiary transactions, such as monopolistic practices, market manipulation through album bulk buying and gambling-like marketing strategies involving photo cards, were also raised. These practices, the petition argues, underline significant gaps in current laws, prompting calls for legislative improvements to address such issues.

Another focal point of the petition is Hybe’s alleged attempt to influence media coverage, raising concerns about possible lobbying efforts. Furthermore, the petitioner criticized the inadequacy of the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance reports, arguing that they failed to meet industry standards.

The document also calls for an investigation into Hybe’s handling of labor issues, particularly overwork-related incidents, with accusations that the company withheld relevant data from legislative offices.

“The company has no statement to make,” a Hybe official said Friday.

Hybe has been under increasing scrutiny following its top executives’ appearance at the National Assembly audit in October, when they faced criticism over the death of an employee due to overwork, allegations of violating artists’ rights and the distribution of a controversial executive report, which contained disparaging remarks about rival artists.