Allegations of power harassment and political coercion have recently surfaced against Bang Si Hyuk, the influential founder and chairman of HYBE Corporation. These claims were made by Elly Chae Eun, a former Communications Director at BigHit Entertainment (now HYBE), through a detailed post on her Threads account on June 7. Elly recounted an incident from May 2017, during a lunch with Bang just before the South Korean presidential election. According to her, the conversation took a troubling turn when Bang allegedly pressured her to vote for Moon Jae In and even grabbed her hand during the discussion, urging her to support his preferred candidate. She described the encounter as both bewildering and deeply uncomfortable, calling it an example of workplace power harassment, especially given the stark difference in their positions within the company.
Elly said she chose to go public now because she wanted to shed light on what she sees as a broader issue of unchecked power dynamics and abuse within the corporate culture of South Korea’s entertainment industry. Her statement has ignited fresh conversations about the accountability of high-ranking executives and the often-overlooked experiences of those who work under them. Her timing is significant, as HYBE and Bang Si Hyuk are currently under investigation by South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service for alleged stock manipulation and questionable share dealings with a private equity firm.
The financial probe adds another layer of pressure on HYBE, especially with reports of a recent search and seizure and whispers of a possible warrant targeting Bang’s individual role in the alleged misconduct. As of now, HYBE has not issued any official response to either Elly’s claims or the financial investigation. The company’s silence has only amplified public interest and concern, as fans and observers await further developments.
Together, the resurfacing of a personal harassment claim and a financial investigation into corporate integrity paint a troubling picture. It forces both the public and industry insiders to reckon with how much power is concentrated in the hands of a few—and how little recourse employees may feel they have until years later.
