A comment made by a LE SSERAFIM fan under a BBC interview video featuring NewJeans has unexpectedly resurfaced and gone viral on Korean online communities, sparking renewed discussion over the long-standing controversy between the two HYBE girl groups.
The fan began their post by clarifying they held no hostility toward NewJeans or their fandom, stating that they were simply expressing a genuine question:
“I’m a fan of LE SSERAFIM, but I honestly mean no harm toward NewJeans fans. I just don’t understand why some people seem to believe that NewJeans was deeply hurt by LE SSERAFIM debuting first. Was it really that serious?”
The fan went on to explain that debut delays are not uncommon in the idol industry and that trainees often face sudden lineup changes and harsh conditions as shown in LE SSERAFIM’s documentary, which depicted members being replaced before debut.
“It’s unfair to label LE SSERAFIM as ‘responsible’ for that. They debuted according to the company’s schedule. The members had no say in who debuted first,” the comment read.
The viral post also addressed the ongoing legal dispute between HYBE and ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin, noting that existing evidence suggests the delay in NewJeans’ debut was tied to Min Hee-jin’s alleged efforts to secure independence for her label, rather than LE SSERAFIM’s activities.
However, the fan expressed frustration that many NewJeans supporters continue to side with Min Hee-jin, despite her reportedly making negative remarks about LE SSERAFIM in public.
“At the time, LE SSERAFIM’s official social media pages were flooded with comments like ‘Apologize to NewJeans,’ or ‘They shouldn’t have debuted first.’ The hate got so bad that the group had to disable their Instagram comments and they still haven’t turned them back on,” the fan pointed out.
The comment then referenced statements Min Hee-jin made in court, where she claimed that NewJeans members were emotionally affected by LE SSERAFIM’s earlier debut. The fan questioned the fairness of such logic:
“What were LE SSERAFIM supposed to do? Ask HYBE to let NewJeans debut before them? If they didn’t, does that make them wrong?”
The user also highlighted that LE SSERAFIM debuted in May 2022, while NewJeans debuted in August 2022, just three months later.
“Is a three-month difference really that big of a deal? If Min Hee-jin had wanted, she could’ve delayed NewJeans’ debut even longer but would that have been fair to the trainees?”
The post concluded with a strong statement criticizing how the narrative has been shaped:
“Min Hee-jin has painted herself as the victim while turning LE SSERAFIM into the villains, simply because they debuted first. That’s what’s truly unfair.”
After its resurfacing, the comment gained tens of thousands of upvotes on Korean forums, with netizens split in opinion. Some agreed that LE SSERAFIM had been unfairly targeted amid corporate disputes, while others defended Min Hee-jin and NewJeans, saying the emotional impact on trainees was valid.
Regardless of stance, the debate highlights the growing tension between fans of both groups and how internal company politics have increasingly influenced public perception of HYBE’s artists.