Top 10 Biggest K-Pop Scandals of 2024

As a member of BLACKPINK, Jennie has come in for way more than her fair share of scrutiny. She found herself back in the crosshairs in July when she posted a now deleted video to her personal YouTube channel that included a brief glimpse of her vaping while having her hair and makeup done. In South Korea, indoor smoking and vaping is strictly banned, and punishable by a fine. Though Italy’s laws about indoor smoking are less severe, Jennie’s behavior still prompted accusations of disregarding the comfort of her team and setting a bad example for young fans. Following an apology through her agency, OA, the firestorm gradually died down, and Jennie made a successful solo comeback with “Mantra” in October.

In 2023 South Korea’s Hybe Corporation, and American Label Geffen records teamed up to co-produce a new international girl group. After an Idol style training period, expert evaluation, and several rounds of fan voting, six performers were selected from a pool of 20 to debut as Katseye. In August of 2024 Netflix released a docuseries chronicling the behind the scenes process. But with previously unknown drama being thrown into a bright new spotlight, the show would divide the existing fan community and turn off a lot of potential new supporters as well. From dragging up long squashed beef among contestants to revealing the shady tactics of the Hybe-Geffen executives, most viewers came away with a bad taste in their mouths. The big question is how the company thought this would help boost Katseye.

With BTS on hiatus for military service, the group hasn’t been much in the news cycle. Between that and the group’s relatively squeaky clean past, when word broke that Suga had been charged with a DUI, fan communities and mainstream media alike went feral. In August, the rapper and producer drew the attention of local police when he fell from his electric scooter near his home in Seoul's Hannam neighborhood. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and following the suspension of his license, Suga’s case was dismissed with a hefty fine. He has since taken responsibility for his poor behavior with several public statements on the matter.

Soloist Jessi is used to dividing opinions with her unapologetic persona, but an offstage incident in September put the singer in a storm of controversy bigger than any she’s previously experienced. While out in Seoul’s Apgujeong neighborhood, a young fan approached Jessi for a photo, only to be assaulted by a member of her entourage. Though CCTV footage shows Jessi initially trying to defuse the situation, she quickly withdrew from the conflict and left the scene. Online condemnation was swift, as Jessi faced accusations of abandoning her fan to their attacker. Though she has since made multiple public apologies, fans are still split, and DOD Entertainment confirmed they were parting ways with the singer in October, just a month after signing her to an exclusive contract.

For years it seemed like Hyuna could do no wrong. Beloved as much for her bold, independent persona as her performance skills, HyunA was previously able to defy convention on and off stage without any significant career blowback. Then in January, HyunA went public with a new partner, Yong Junhyung. The former Highlight member is better known for his connection to the Burning Sun scandal, when he admitted to participating in conversations about women captured in illegal hidden camera footage. Needless to say, the relationship sparked outrage, especially among loyal fans, who saw it as a betrayal of the progressive image HyunA built her career on. Seemingly unconcerned, HyunA remains committed to her relationship, but time will tell if this has a long lasting impact on her career.

While some found the March debut of Belift Lab’s Illit to be Magnetic, fans of 4th gen phenoms New Jeans clocked strong similarities in the look and marketing of the two groups. With both being managed by subsidiaries under the Hybe umbrella, many were ready to dismiss this as tribute rather than anything nefarious. But Min Hee-jin, CEO of New Jean’s agency ADOR, publicly accused Belift of plagiarism in April. A series of internal document leaks revealed a debut strategy for Illit that shared strong parallels with one produced for New Jeans three years earlier. Belift has continued to staunchly deny any plagiarism, but some have argued it looks like Hybe was trying to position Illit as a replacement for New Jeans in the wake of their bigger feud with Min Hee-jin. We’ll circle back to that later.

One of the top groups of the fourth generation, Le Sserafim looked likely to keep the good times rolling with the success of their February comeback, “Easy.” Following a first place win on M Countdown in March, the group took the stage for an encore, and that’s where things started to go downhill. The lethargic and off key performance had k-fans calling their live performance skills into question, with an underwhelming performance at Coachella and a poorly received docuseries only adding fuel to the fire. Add in a few instances of unpopular off-stage behavior by individual members, and criticism snowballed into downright vitriol. Le Ssearfim’s most recent activities seem to have quieted some of the hate, but there’s no denying the group’s year was anything but easy.

SM’s boy group Riize first hit the scene in September of 2023 with seven members and a catchy debut song. But it didn’t take long for controversy to strike. Almost immediately photos leaked online allegedly showing member Seughan in his trainee days smoking cigarettes and kissing an unidentified woman. By late November he had been placed on indefinite hiatus, with his return only announced in October of 2024. Within hours a vocal contingent of South Korean fans had organized to make their displeasure known, even going so far as to send funeral wreaths to the SM building in protest. This put them in sharp contrast with supporters more accepting of their Idols’ private lives, who already believed the original punishment was overkill. Sadly, Suenghan was permanently removed from Riize within days, leaving the fandom divided in his wake.

Buckle up, friends. This one is a lot. Back in April, HYBE Corporation announced an internal audit of subsidiary ADOR, and publicly asked for the resignation of its CEO Min Hee-jin. Things turned ugly fast as HYBE accused Min of attempting a hostile takeover, and she in turn leveled allegations against the company that included plagiarism and sabotage. As the mud flew, Min’s wildly successful group NewJeans got into the ring in defense of their CEO. In an unprecedented act of Idol rebellion, the group posted a video in September accusing HYBE of fostering a toxic work environment, and calling for Min’s reinstatement. HYBE declined to respond, but postponed NewJeans’ planned comeback indefinitely. Then in November, the group doubled down. They sent a list of demands to the company, threatening to terminate their contracts if their conditions were not met. As of December of 2024, they are determined to sever their ties with HYBE, though it remains unclear if they’ll be able to do so.

In the considerable ensemble that is NCT, Taeil always stood out to his fans for his sweet, unassuming demeanor and effortless voice. Then in August, SM Entertainment announced his removal from the group, disclosing that he had been credibly accused in a criminal sexual assault case. The news landed like a nuclear bombshell in the fandom, who struggled to reconcile his persona with the seriousness of the accusation. But anyone familiar with k-pop knows the evidence against Taeil must be rock solid for SM to eject the singer the way they did. Sickening details have continued to emerge since the initial revelation, and his contract was formally terminated in October. The case is ongoing as of the end of 2024, but if convicted, Taeil faces substantial prison time.




Which 2024 K-Pop scandal rocked you to your core? Which one was totally overblown? Let us know in the comments?