ATEEZ's leader Hongjoong is causing a stir with his latest release, and it might just be aimed at Bang Si Hyuk and HYBE!
On January 15th, Hongjoong dropped his new digital single SMB featuring rapper Odetari, but the lyrics quickly raised eyebrows. Fans and netizens are speculating that the song takes shots at Bang Si Hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, and the company itself.
In the rap, Hongjoong spits lines like, "Not fun at all," "Act your age, scoundrel," and "Think you've made it? hitman." The words “hitman” and “bang” particularly caught attention, as “hitman” is a nickname closely associated with Bang Si Hyuk, and “bang” could be seen as a subtle nod to his name.
The lyrics don’t stop there, with Hongjoong also rapping, “If you have time to watch others, be careful of your own back,” “Jealousy blinds your life”, and “The way you're cursing with a real name mentioned”.
These bold lines have many questioning if they were aimed at someone in particular, with many linking the words to recent issues surrounding HYBE.
Last year, HYBE was in the spotlight after leaked internal documents made crude comments about K-pop idols' appearances during a National Assembly audit.
The revelation caused public outrage, and HYBE CEO Lee Jae Sang later apologized, taking full responsibility for the incident and pledging to prevent similar issues in the future.
Despite the buzz surrounding the lyrics, KQ Entertainment, Hongjoong’s agency, has remained silent. They told HeraldPOP, “We have no official stance on this matter”, leaving fans and critics to interpret the lyrics on their own.
While the controversy swirls, ATEEZ is gearing up for the grand finale of their 2025 world tour ‘TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER’ in Seoul at the KSPO Dome in March 2025, so all eyes will be on the group as the drama unfolds.
Fans are definitely divided on whether Hongjoong’s lyrics were a direct dig at HYBE or just artistic expression. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
Source: [1]
