The possibility of Hybe’s involvement in the Burning Sun scandal is one that has long been discussed by a niche subsect of primarily OT5/VVIP fans (Seungri supporters). In the broader scope of things, many kpop fans in general have discussed the theory that Hybe is heavily involved in media play surrounding its artists. This claim is likely due to certain reports that Hybe CEO Bang Sihyuk is related to the Chairman of Chosun Ilbo [source] and the fact that Naver invested a considerable sum of money (411.8billion Won) into BigHit’s subsidiary, BNX [source]. There have also been numerous accounts from former ADOR creative director, Min Heejin, accusing Hybe of media manipulation.

While the theory that Hybe manufactured Burning Sun does remain simply a theory, it’s one worth analyzing when discussing the scandal. There are factors that largely discredit the idea—mainly, the fact that the primary allegations against Burning Sun were started and perpetuated by MBC, who had a tumultuous relationship with BigHit in 2019—there are other factors that lend some degree of credibility to the idea that Hybe may have fanned the flames.

In early 2019, the Burning Sun scandal had not yet erupted into the large-scale scandal we know it as today. The molka chatroom scandal had not yet broken and Seungri was still largely uninvolved. This changed when SBS Reporter, Kang Kyungyoon, entered the playing field with her first article accusing Seungri of arranging prostitution services for foreign investors. Kang has been criticized by certain authorities for using Burning Sun’s virality to bolster her own story.

Where things begin to get muddy is when Kang switches gears to begin accusing Seungri of operating the molka chatrooms. Although official court proceedings later established that Seungri was not in any of the 23 official molka chatrooms, and despite Kang having exclusive access to Jung Joonyoung’s phone data, Kang consistently reported that the chats were run by Seungri. This establishes a questionable bias on Kang’s part. For what reason did she misassign culpability to Seungri over Jung?

Where the Hybe theory comes into play is when looking at Kang’s reporting history. While Kang has since become well known for her aggressive, investigative reporting style, Kang actually has a long history of reporting exceptionally favourably on Hybe and its artists prior to 2024. When compared to the other Big Four companies, Kang is the most critical of SM and YG (with YG being her most aggressive target) while remaining cautiously neutral towards Hybe and JYP—which is notable due to the two company’s CEO’s close friendship.

The reason why 2024 is a noteworthy year for Kang to suddenly become more critical of Hybe is because this is the same year she started in the BBC Burning Sun documentary. Some critics have proposed the theory that Kang Kyungyoon was in Hybe’s pocket but, noting that she would have far more eyes on her following the documentary’s premier, she decided to mix up her reporting on Hybe as to not appear biased.

However, none of this explains Hybe’s motivation for interest in Seungri or YG’s downfall. In 2019, BTS was already wildly successful in the West and all of BigBang ‘s members were enlisted in the military, save for Seungri who was set to enlist that year as well. One explanation for a potential motivation would be that Hybe was investing in its future, rather than bolstering current assets.

In 2019, BigHit/Hybe had announced its plans to debut its first new boy group, TXT. Simultaneously, YG announced plans to debut Treasure. It may be speculated upon that BigHit was attempting to inhibit Treasure’s success and make room in the industry for TXT as the fourth generation leader.

Although there’s no clear evidence that Hybe personally manufactured the Burning Sun scandal, it is worth pondering the possibility that Hybe, taking notice of what was already happening, paid Kang Kyungyoon to frame her molka chatroom story to center Seungri as a means to fan the flames enough to damage YG’s reputation, thus disrupting Treasure’s potential success over TXT. Of course, these theories have yet to produce concrete evidence and are still simply theories.