Bang Si-hyuk, the man widely known as the mastermind behind BTS and the empire of HYBE, is now under investigation for alleged financial fraud.
In December 2024, Korean authorities launched a probe into Bang after reports surfaced that in 2019, he had manipulated investors into selling their shares to a private entity secretly connected to HYBE. Allegedly, Bang Si-hyuk pocketed nearly ₩190 billion (around 135 million USD) in profit for himself.
HYBE has firmly denied the accusations, insisting that all procedures surrounding its IPO were conducted legally and transparently. Bang himself called the claims “groundless,” but the controversy continues to escalate and, throughout the past months Korean outlets have also suggested potential links to tax evasion and other financial irregularities.
After returning to Seoul on August 11, Bang Si-hyuk was reportedly subjected to a travel ban, preventing him from leaving the country as investigations continue. He has since been questioned by police for over 13 hours and continues to cooperate fully with authorities. This latest measure underscores the gravity of the situation, far more serious and far-reaching than many could have anticipated.
Moreover, this scandal not only places one of Kpop’s most powerful figures under scrutiny but also raises uncomfortable questions about transparency, accountability, and ethics within the Korean entertainment industry.
Fans from all around the world were shaken to their core by the news. The ripple effect was immediate, like a tremor shaking the very foundations of HYBE. On X, chaos reigns, opinions are flying, accusations are piling up, and speculations seem to breed by the minute.
bang pd and hybe fraud case is getting so serious that he’s not allowed to leave the country and have been ordered to stay in south korea by the police, he might really go to jail y’all
pic.twitter.com/GFnugHCtaM— smiley ♡ (@Smileythrough) October 1, 2025
Everyone wants to add their two cents, fueling a whirlwind of rumors and heated debates.
This situation not only impacts Bang Si-hyuk but also casts a long shadow over the artists and groups tied to HYBE, as the controversy threatens to spill into every corner of the Kpop scene.
Hybe’s use of bots is increasingly blatant. New bots on Twitter praise Bang Si Hyuk, calling him a “visionary” and a leader. Hybe spends money on this, not on protecting their artists against slander, but on shielding that pig. Shameless, tacky, and kinda creepy. #hybe #newjeans pic.twitter.com/a9EBxgbB6V
— Only one. (@2real2soon) September 28, 2025
Each fandom reacted in its own way, revealing a fascinating split between loyalty and disillusionment.
X, countless posts highlighted just how divided fans had become, some demanding accountability, others defending the man who built their idols’ careers.
Thank you, Bang Si Hyuk, for committing fraud worth billions of dollars and lying to investors so that Hybe Artists could achieve the astounding numbers on charts today. pic.twitter.com/fHo9uP1ojp
— NJZ Fund (@iseauseamee) September 15, 2025
bang sihyuk being banned from leaving the country and investigated for fraud charges
thats njz karma for u pic.twitter.com/aQcMZlKuGn
— aryana 𐙚 (@mothaercuntz) October 1, 2025
This storm has made one thing crystal clear, the once-impenetrable image of HYBE as Kpop’s flawless empire is starting to crack.
And with every new headline, every new leak, the balance between admiration and suspicion grows thinner.
Meanwhile, the reputation of the once-untouchable chairman is being pushed to its breaking point, and his long-cemented credibility now hangs by a thread.
