Ex-HYBE staff accuses Bang Si Hyuk of unwanted physical contact, all we know about ‘uncomfortable' 2017 incident amid stock probe

Pink Villa

3 days ago

Allegations against HYBE founder and chairman Bang Si Hyuk have surfaced online. A former BigHit Entertainment employee shared a personal account describing an uncomfortable encounter. It involves political pressure and physical boundary violations. The post, made by Elly Chae Eun, who previously served as the Communications Director for BigHit, has rapidly gone viral.
A memory from 2017 surfaces
Elly Chae Eun took to her personal Threads account on June 7 to recall an incident that took place eight years ago. It was during her time at BigHit Entertainment, the agency now known as HYBE. According to Elly, the event occurred just days before the 2017 South Korean presidential election.
She explained that she had been required to work over the weekend due to a backlog of tasks. She ended up sharing a meal with Bang Si Hyuk at a local kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) restaurant near the office. It was during this seemingly casual lunch that, according to her, the conversation took an uncomfortable and inappropriate turn.
Allegations of political pressure and physical contact
In her detailed account, Elly claimed that Bang Si Hyuk attempted to influence her voting decision. He urged her to support then-candidate Moon Jae In. Despite her insistence that she held centrist political views and had not made a final decision, Bang reportedly continued to pressure her to vote a certain way.
What escalated the discomfort, she wrote, was the moment Bang allegedly reached across the table and held her hand while emphasizing his political stance. 'He suddenly grabbed my hand and earnestly pleaded that I must vote for Moon Jae In,' she wrote. Elly described the interaction as 'extremely uncomfortable and bewildering.'
She framed the interaction as a textbook case of 'workplace power harassment.' She questioned, 'Even though I had clearly expressed my political stance, he insisted and even made unwanted physical contact to push his opinion. Isn't this exactly what we call power harassment in the workplace?'
Financial investigations into HYBE
The timing of Elly's revelations is particularly striking, as they coincide with a widening investigation into HYBE and Bang Si Hyuk's financial dealings. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is currently probing Bang for allegedly misleading investors into selling company shares to a private equity fund tied to one of his close associates.
Authorities have already executed a search and seizure operation related to HYBE's financial affairs. It has been reported that a warrant has been filed regarding Bang Si Hyuk's individual involvement in the alleged misconduct.
The two matters, Elly's claims and the ongoing financial investigation, are separate. But the public response suggests that the tide of scrutiny surrounding HYBE's leadership is growing stronger by the day.
HYBE yet to respond
As of this writing, neither HYBE nor Bang Si Hyuk has issued a public statement addressing the allegations raised by Elly Chae Eun. Industry observers are watching closely to see whether the mounting public pressure will prompt an official response or further revelations.