OAKLAND, Calif. – Fans of South Korean boy band Seventeen chanted their name in Oakland, Calif. last week as part of their “Right Here” world tour to promote the group’s 2024 album “17 Is Right Here.” Were staying.

“I’ve been a fan of Seventeen for about six or seven years,” said fan Ruby Webb, 21, of Portland, Oregon.

“I love them so much. S.Coups, Mingyu, Dino, they’re my babies,” she said.

While there was excitement, fans known as Carrots spoke out about the recent dispute with South Korean company HYBE, which oversees many K-pop artists including popular groups BTS, Blackpink and Seventeen.

An internal document that circulated among company executives, including HYBE president Bang Si-hyuk, containing derogatory comments about several of its K-pop groups, was disclosed on October 24 by the South Korean National Assembly for Culture, Sports and Was done during the audit. Tourism Committee.

This report was revealed by Korean pop culture critic Kang Myung Seok.

In the document, some K-pop groups, including Seventeen, were criticized for being “ugly” and having “too much plastic surgery”.

This led to a series of other controversies in the industry.

K-pop star Haney, a member of the group Newzines, appealed for better treatment in the K-pop industry during a parliamentary hearing in October.

K-pop idols are often held to high standards for their behavior and must maintain a clean public image, which also includes pressure from fans not to have partners.

Seventeen’s criticism of the company immediately provoked a reaction from Carrots.

“I’m mostly disappointed,” said Laura Munoz, 29, who came from Kansas to attend the concert.

“You support a group, and their own company is not taking them into account and wants to protect them, and is on their side,” he said.

However, it is important for Webb to focus on the music more than the controversy.

“I’m just trying to focus on my members and not on any larger group,” she said.

22-year-old Eden Johnson, who attended the concert with Webb disguised as a carrot, was feeling optimistic about her first Seventeen concert.

“I just enjoy it, being at a concert gives them a chance to be happy,” she said.

Seventeen member, Seungkwan, posted a response on Instagram in October, days after the document was released.

“You have no right to easily insert yourself into our narrative,” he wrote in Korean.

“This applies not just to us but to other artistes as well. We are not your objects to be used and enjoyed as you wish.”

The South Korean group had the best-selling album globally last year.

HYBE CEO Lee Jaesang issued an apology on behalf of the South Korean company, which was shared with Reuters.

“I formally apologize to all the outside actors mentioned in the document,” Jaesang wrote in Korean.

He said, “I am in the process of contacting each label directly to apologize and meet with all the artists of HYBE Music Group, who are now only facing criticism for the actions taken by the company.”

Fans in Oakland arrived dressed as both Carrots and Carrots, bringing posters of their favorite band members and distributing free handmade goods to other fans.

The US leg of the tour began in Illinois in October and ended in Los Angeles last Saturday and the group will now move on to their next tour in Asia.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.