5 raging K-pop controversies in 2023 so far

With another year into the Korean industry, yet another set of K-pop controversies landed, spurring various kinds of emotions within the fandom. Apart from the comebacks, variety show appearances, and other behind-the-scenes content that fans look forward to, they are also faced with controversies where K-pop idols gain negative attention.

While some controversies sit reasonably with the fans, others have in turn raised much dispute within the fandom as they go back and forth from the for and against stances. With only five months into the year, five K-pop controversies have already been taking the internet by storm. From scandalous choreographies to controversial remarks, here are five times that put K-pop idols in a negative light.

EXO Kai's military enlistment and 4 other 2023 K-pop controversies so far that have been the talk of the town

1) ENHYPEN's Bite Me choreography with female dancers

On May 22, ENHYPEN rolled out its most-awaited comeback, DARK BLOOD, with the song Bite Me as its title track. While many fans enjoyed it, some were displeased by the choice of choreography, making it sit amongst the list of K-pop controversies in 2023.

Given that it's not welcomed by South Korean standards to display seductive dance performances, especially those involving a partner of the opposite s*x, Bite Me's choreography executing the same gained a lot of criticism. However, it got worse when fans started to express serious displeasure by hiring protest trucks in front of HYBE LABELS.

The message conveyed by the truck was that fans would like choreography with just the seven members, removing the female dancers would be fine since their inclusion into the dance supposedly seemed inappropriate. Regardless, netizens argued that the dance fit the song's concept and that the protest was unnecessary.

2) EXO Kai's sudden military enlistment

On May 3, Kai's agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement announcing the sudden military enlistment of the idol. Given that Kai was amidst his preparations for a comeback with EXO as a full group, fans were confused about the same. While the agency tried to cover it up as something that resulted due to the change in regulations by the Military Manpower Administration, it was later proven as a false fact, making it one of the raging K-pop controversies in 2023.

The sudden military enlistment of Kai happened to be due to SM Entertainment exhausting all postponement requests that can be made by a Korean male citizen without Kai's knowledge, naturally urging him to join the military hurriedly. Fans were thus angered by the poor management and mistreatment of their artists.

3) EXO's Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen filing a termination of the contract with SM Entertainment

Another shocking incident revolving around the EXO members that sits on the list of K-pop controversies in 2023 has comparatively been a new one. It was recently revealed that Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen filed against SM Entertainment regarding the termination of their contract with the agency.

Their legal representative, Lee Jae-hak, stated that the agency failed to be transparent with their earning documents and denied revealing the documents that showcased the profits made by the three artists. With this alluding to the fact that the singers were underpaid, it was also revealed that the company's been making its artists sign contracts with lengthy-time periods of commitment, otherwise known as slave contracts, which now stand as illegal in the industry.

4) Stray Kids' Bang Chan commenting on the lack of manners in a fellow fourth-generation group

Another one of the K-pop controversies that sat unsettlingly with the fandom happened during Bang Chan's weekly live stream, Chan's Room. Like every other Sunday, the idol logged on to YouTube to talk about his recent happenings until his story about the behavior of a hoobae (junior) group caught fans' attention.

Given that bowing to elders and seniors is a strictly followed tradition in Korean culture, Bang Chan expressed that a certain group failed to do the same, therefore upsetting him. With the minimum details revealed by the idol, fans speculated that it happened during the Music Band Festival that took place in Paris, and the group he was referring to was most likely IVE.

Some were also frustrated at Bang Chan for taking the matter too seriously, directing hate towards him for calling out a certain group. However, the idol later uploaded an apology expressing his regret for his actions and words. He also further clarified that it wasn't about IVE. Some STAYs still felt that he didn't have to apologize since he was only expressing his thoughts.

5) Super Junior Heechul's scandalous speech during a live stream

On February 9, Super Junior's Heechul participated in BJ Choi Goon's live broadcast, where the idol was criticized for several things that took place during the live stream. Standing as one of the raging K-pop controversies, he garnered attention from netizens for bad-mouthing the feminist website Yeoseong Shidae.

Moreover, he also revealed that he voluntarily chose not to participate in Super Junior's overseas schedule in order to attend BJ Choi Goon's birthday party. Additionally, the singer expressed his liking for a misogynist BJ, Bokyeom, and also mocked the national movement where Koreans boycotted Japanese products as a form of resistance. Finally, he upset Cha Eun-woo's fans by describing him as rather arrogant and violent.

With quite a heavy list of K-pop controversies falling on the plate of content for the fandom, they hope that the same reduces in the coming months of the year.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar