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HYBE and Pledis blamed as iconic K-pop groups NU’EST and GFriend disband

Both K-pop groups' labels were acquired by HYBE before they disbanded

It is no secret that fans were unhappy with the way Pledis and HYBE had handled their girl groups. Popular second-gen girl groups Hello Venus, Pristin, and After School faded under Pledis before disbanding. HYBE has not had a good history either as their subsidiary labels like Source Music barely gave any comebacks to GFriend. However, fans were hoping for a change when HYBE acquired Pledis, who then signed on the underrated girl group fromis_9. Under HYBE’s wings, things have looked up for them as their latest album was their best-selling yet. Unfortunately, fans are still unhappy as NU’EST has become their latest group to disband.

Having debuted in 2012 under Pledis, NU’EST was an extremely popular boy group. Unfortunately, after the label debuted Seventeen, they were forgotten by the label and their comebacks became less and less frequent. Just 15 days before NU’EST’s 10th debut anniversary, fans were disheartened when Pledis shared that three of its members were leaving the label. On February 28, they explained that the group would be “capping off” their activities as NU’EST of Pledis Entertainment. Fans initially assumed that it just meant the group would not be under Pledis anymore.

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NU’EST and GFriend disbanded while under HYBE

However, with the members also writing heart-felt letters thanking fans for staying by their sides and hoping that they support everyone’s future individual careers, it does seem that NU’EST has disbanded. They will also release one final album a day before their 10th anniversary on March 15. Well, with both GFriend and NU’EST disbanding after their labels were acquired by HYBE, fans are angry at the multi-corporation and are calling the company a “group pulverizer.”

Fans pointed out that, apart from disbanding NU’EST and GFriend, HYBE was also trying to trademark GFriend’s name so that the iconic girl group could never reunite unless they teamed up with HYBE again. Many Knetizens are blaming HYBE for the disbandment of the two groups as they made posts like, “Isn’t HYBE to blame to a certain extent for GFriend’s disbandment?” and “Pledis should have done better.” But K-pop Twitter is divided as some defend HYBE and some think that it is Pledis’ fault alone while others feel NU’EST simply wanted to part ways.

'We blame both'

One fan tweeted, “No one to blame but Pledis, this is all your fault.” A user wrote, “Shouldn't their fans [have] questioned why the 2 nuest members resigned the company than the other 3? it's embarrassing to see so many comments on treating the group members as idiots when they have their own interests. just accept it & move on.” Another added, “Are you truly a nuest fan but haven’t watched produce 101 where they basically admit that pledis turned them back into TRAINEES and they felt like their going to DISBAND SOON. this was almost 5 YEARS AGO. years before pledis became under hybe. damn know your fav’s history.”

One fan commented, “I don’t trust Pledis. Especially Pledis under HYBE.” Regardless, fans are angry at both the label and the parent company, “Loves can blame both pledis and hybe!!! pledis mistreated them to the point that 4/5 went on produce and then their career had a cb!! nuest is the reason every company sends idols to produce now. but then the hybe merger happened and nuest got mistreated AGAIN. we blame both.”

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