Laura ✈️💺💜💚

CHORDS & CONTRACTS A Curiosity Series Episode 7 “Hybe and the Damage Control Method” When crises arise, the corporation takes no risks: it rearranges narratives and uses its most influential artist as a shield. In October 2024, Hybe participated in an audit conducted by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee, and some of Hybe's internal reports released expose a pattern spanning years of management: using Kim Taehyung's image as a scapegoat, as a shield in times of crisis, diverting the first wave of criticism and rumors to him. Situations that arose over the years were not just spontaneous speculation: they were created or exacerbated by the company as “safety valves” to neutralize more serious damage, allowing Taehyung to absorb the initial negative reaction and shield not only the other BTS members, but also the company itself and its founder, Bang Si-hyuk, who is currently under police investigation. This practice also extends to fans and shippers, who often even act in unison with the company. This manifests itself on different fronts: NARRATIVE CREATION: Fans and shippers fabricate stories, rumors, and distorted interpretations of Taehyung to generate noise and shift the focus of the discussion. USE OF AI: Artificial intelligence tools are used to create supposed audio, photos, or videos that fuel these narratives, even if they have no evidence. EDITS AND TRENDS: Video cuts, montages, or even visual fanfics circulate en masse as a strategic tool to make Taehyung's name trend and, thus, drown out other people's crises. ❝ It is crucial that the public recognizes the manipulation game. Fan awareness is the only force capable of breaking this mechanism ❞ Although companies like Hybe not only manage careers, but also control the flow of information, the direction of public narratives, and the way crises are handled, what the company cannot manipulate is the perception of who Kim Taehyung is at his core. “Kim Taehyung is an artist whose truth endures even within a system that prioritizes absolute control.” This contrast is revealing: while the company tries to impose narratives, the public recognizes in Kim Taehyung something that cannot be fabricated or corrupted. Taehyung's untouchability is not the result of corporate strategies, but of the consistency of his authenticity. This makes him not only Hybe's most frequently used target in its crisis management, but also “the greatest obstacle to any attempt at definitive manipulation.” Taehyung remains untouchable. Not only because of the weight of his artistic personality, marked by unique aesthetic choices and original musical work, but above all because of his integrity of character, which over the years has remained unwavering in the face of any circumstance. The decision and practice of directing crises toward others did not arise now and is not random. The repetition reveals not a coincidence, but a mechanism already in operation for years. In Taehyung's case, Hybe relies precisely on his weight, his name, beyond BTS, with sufficient impact and influence to redirect public attention.