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Published April 16, 2025
Industry & Commentary
The Dark Side of K-pop PR: Why Every Comeback Feels Like a Cancellation Campaign
These days, it feels like every major K-pop comeback comes with a side of controversy. From TWICE to LE SSERAFIM to ITZY to J-Hope—every album announcement seems to be followed by a trending boycott. Maybe someone drank the wrong coffee brand. Or maybe they were seen with a friend who once worked with someone “problematic.”
Suddenly, there’s a cancellation storm brewing.
Now, let’s be clear: some fans are genuinely invested in social justice causes. They want to hold idols accountable for real harm. That’s valid. But here’s the catch—not everyone involved in these campaigns is coming from a place of sincerity. Some are doing it for clout, some are paid to stir things up, and others… well, they just want to bring someone down.
It’s not pretty, but it’s real. Dirty PR tactics are alive and well in the K-pop world. And if we want to be smart consumers and thoughtful fans, it helps to understand how these things work.
Let’s talk about the darker side of marketing and PR in K-pop—what they look like, how they spread, and what you can do to avoid becoming a pawn in someone else’s agenda.
Astroturfing: Fake Outrage, Real Impact
Ever notice how some controversies feel suspiciously loud online?
That’s astroturfing at work—a tactic where fake grassroots campaigns are staged to look like genuine outrage. Think bots, sock puppet accounts, or even hired influencers creating noise to give the illusion that “everyone” is mad.
Soojin of (G)I-DLE and Garam of LE SSERAFIM were hit hard by this. Publications amplified the bullying accusations, but actual public disdain wasn’t nearly as widespread as it seemed.
Even illit, a new group, is getting dragged by what looks like a loud minority. But because hate clicks = engagement, the media eats it up.
Truck protests, fake petitions, mass comment spamming—it’s all part of the playbook.
Moral Panic: Weaponized Guilt Trips
During the pandemic, moral panic became a key PR weapon. Any idol who didn’t speak out on a trending issue—or didn’t say the “right” thing—was labeled as immoral or complicit.
If an idol remains silent, they're guilty. If they speak but don’t echo the loudest voices, they’re canceled. And fans who continue to support them? They get guilt-tripped too.
When J-Hope dropped teasers for Hope On The Street, netizens didn’t just dissect the music—they went after the songwriters, collaborators, and anyone he worked with, looking for any connection to something “problematic.”
This same playbook was used for TWICE, LE SSERAFIM, and others. It’s moral blackmail disguised as accountability.
Illusion of Truth: Say It Enough and It Sticks
Ever heard the phrase “repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”?
That’s the Illusion of Truth effect. It’s why people still say TWICE can’t sing live (they can). Or why some still insist Jimin can’t hold a note, despite countless strong performances. Or why ITZY is called a “flop” even though they’re selling out venues.
False narratives, repeated often enough, become hard to shake—even when evidence says otherwise.
Black Propaganda: Fake Receipts, Real Damage
This is where it gets even dirtier. Black propaganda happens when one side fakes evidence and makes it look like it came from the other side.
Remember the messy battle between FIFTY FIFTY’s agency Attrakt and The Givers? Alleged internal documents were released to paint Attrakt in a bad light—but they turned out to be fabricated.
It's sabotage, dressed up as whistleblowing.
Defamation, Rumors, and Misrepresentation
These are your classic smear tactics: baseless accusations, manipulated media, edited videos, and twisted context.
Nayeon from TWICE was criticized for “ranking” her members based on merch sales. The truth? She was just sharing her favorite merch designs.
Taehyung (V) was once accused of shading BIGBANG for singing Loser after a BTS win—when really, it was just a performance. Nothing more.
Even stray offhand comments or past missteps are magnified, exaggerated, and weaponized. Just ask Garam, Hyunjin, or Onew.
Character Attacks: Take Down the Whole Team
Sometimes it’s not about the idol themselves, but the people around them.
Lee Soo-man, JYP, Bang Si-hyuk, Scooter Braun—all have been accused of greed, mismanagement, or corruption. Sometimes valid questions are raised. Other times, it’s just a convenient way to undermine the entire company or group.
When someone in an idol’s orbit is deemed “morally questionable,” the guilt-by-association card gets played hard.
Honey Traps, Infiltration, and Paid Sabotage
This is where it starts feeling like a spy movie.
Honey traps involve luring idols into compromising situations—sometimes romantic, sometimes not—and using photos or videos to stir scandal. It happened to Seungri. It could happen to others.
Infiltration is another tactic. Fake fans embed themselves into fandoms, build influence, and then drop accusations or drama when it’s most effective. They’re not here to support the group—they’re playing the long game.
And yes, there are farms that leave paid comments and reviews. Some journalists and influencers are on the payroll, writing articles that either boost one group or drag another.
What Can We Do?
So how do we tell who’s genuine and who’s playing a game?
Start by asking:
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Is there clear evidence or just recycled rumors?
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Who benefits from this controversy?
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Is it consistent across different fandoms, or is it always targeting one group?
Let’s also remember: outrage can be profitable. So before we join a boycott or hit share, it’s worth checking if we’re being nudged by someone else’s agenda.
Being a fan doesn't mean blindly supporting idols, but it also doesn’t mean being manipulated into canceling them for the wrong reasons.
Let’s hold space for accountability—but let’s also keep our eyes open for manipulation.
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