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Did HYBE force NU'EST to disband? Group had comeback plans in last album footage

Fans think that NU'EST did not know they were going to disband while preparing for last farewell album 'Needle & Bubble'

It looks like HYBE is under fire once again after new footage was released where it seems NU’EST did not know they were going to disband. Previously, the company was called a ‘group pulverizer’ by Knetizens as they acquired smaller K-pop labels like Source Music and Pledis whose groups ended up disbanding like GFriend and NU’EST. And now LOVEs (NU’EST’s fandom) are certain that the company had a hand in the boy group’s disbandment.

While Pledis could be as responsible as HYBE for disbanding NU’EST, LOVEs think something sinister was afoot. Despite Pledis being a small company and constantly mistreating NU’EST, the boy group stayed with them for eight years. However, they ended up disbanding just two years after HYBE merged with Pledis. Furthermore, fans think Pledis was trying to tell LOVEs something as they uploaded footage of NU’EST’s last album where the boys are discussing their comeback activities and plans. 

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Did NU’EST know they were disbanding?

After the announcement of NU’EST’s disbandment on February 28, they shared that they would release one last farewell compilation album ‘Needle & Bubble’ on their 10th anniversary which would coincide with their disbandment date. But it looks like preparations of ‘Needle & Bubble’ took place weeks before the disbandment announcement. In the behind-the-scenes footage, the atmosphere isn’t sad. No one gave a farewell speech as most disbanded groups give. The boys also frequently address it as a comeback rather than their last album.

Fans think that while Pledis takes care of the comebacks and on-hand management, the final decision of signing and terminating contracts fall to HYBE as the parent company. Hence LOVEs are sure that Pledis had no clue about the disbandment as they would have filmed ‘Needle & Bubble’ as a farewell release rather than a comeback release. We also have Aron saying that ‘Needle & Bubble’ was their newest album and not their last album while leader JR asked fans to look forward to everything they had planned for the comeback which meant promotional activities.

Furthermore, in an interview back in April 2021, Ren had shared that NU’EST was a part of all of the members’ lives and they hoped to stay “together for a long time.” Similarly, SinB had added that GFriend did not know they were disbanding and that they were planning on reuniting soon which has fans thinking that they too were forced to disband.

Watch the video below.

'Karma will get to you'

One fan tried to guess what had happened, “I’ve connected the dots... they were shooting before/on Feb 13th because that’s when 🐯[Bakeho] posted on wvs....Feb 17th was when 🐰[Ren] cleared all his ins following... they were given the disbandment sentence on the 17th....” Another LOVE tweeted, “Pledis releasing this damning video basically proving HYBE FORCIBLY fired and disbanded NU'EST. Pledis wanted us to know what really happened. I'm just so disappointed. There's literally nothing to prove against this theory now.”

Another wondered if HYBE was collecting labels to handle their pre-debut groups, “The way its so obvious to everyone how hybe is operating and what their motivations are (money lol), at this point its barely even a theory anymore its just fact that hybe is screwing over established groups for shiny new ones they can take advantage of more.” One LOVE added, “F**k pledis/hybe for whatever they did to nu'est that made things turn out this way. i dont care about my personal feelings at this point. they messed with the boys' lives and played with their emotions and I will never get over that....”

Another angry fan pointed out, “The fact that already two of the most talented groups left in K-pop (Gfriend & NU’EST) with solid popularity IN KOREA…got disbanded after Hybe…We got crappy albums & merch. Disbandment news came out suddenly with no hints for both groups. Gfriend’s recent interview + NU’EST’s behind video clearly shows even they didn’t know they were disbanding. “Hybe doesn’t have control over contracts of subsidiaries” Good lord, would they invest that much money on a company if they don’t have a final say. This isn’t charity, kid. They buy these small labels smaller, build up their assets, and then get rid of competition so they can focus on the groups they 100% own.”

One LOVE added, “Hybe really forced a group who were happily preparing for their 10 years anniversary to disband and on such short notice.. a whole 10 years of their own hardwork and efforts...karma will get to you so bad.”

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