BTS-Hive conflict theory, documentary ignited fire

The controversy surrounding the relationship between BTS and HYBE has surfaced again. As scenes suggesting a tense relationship between the two sides were captured in a recently released behind-the-scenes documentary, the 'BTS independence theory' is spreading around Korean online communities.

According to related reports, the documentary included a scene where BTS members had a disagreement with their agency to increase the proportion of Korean lyrics during the album production process. In particular, it was reported that members expressed opposition to the company's policy regarding the composition of lyrics for certain songs such as 'Arirang'.

What was even more controversial was the scene where Big Hit Music's vice president made negative remarks about BTS' past songs. When this video was released, a strong backlash arose among the fandom.

Online community, ‘independence theory’ vs. ‘realism’ tension

As this scene of conflict became known, a related post was posted on the Korean online community Pann, which attracted a lot of attention. The author raised the question, “If BTS really hates Hive, why don’t they leave the company and prove their skills as a solo artist?” and “Why do they stay and only blame the company?”

This received mixed reactions from fans. Some countered, saying, “It’s like BTS has grown a hive, and leaving is not that simple.” In fact, it was mentioned that if the group becomes independent, problems with the name 'BTS' and the rights to existing music may arise.

On the other hand, other fans offered an analysis saying, "It seems like the members have no choice but to remain in order to continue the group's activities." BTS recently released a full-length album and is about to embark on a large-scale world tour.

An unprecedented artist-agency relationship in K-pop history

The relationship between BTS and Hive is unprecedented in K-pop history. Big Hit Entertainment, a small entertainment company, grew into a huge entertainment group called Hive thanks to the global success of BTS. Analysis suggests that in this process, the balance of power between artists and agencies was formed differently from the typical K-pop structure.

The industry is paying attention to how the contract renewal negotiations will proceed as BTS members' military service period sequentially ends. As there have been cases of agency disputes between large groups such as TVXQ and EXO in the past, interest in BTS' future moves is increasing.