HYBE Admits That Le Sserafim’s Biggest ‘Weakness’ Is Their Live Vocals In Recovered Internal Documents

A new set of HYBE internal documents has surfaced online, this time placing the spotlight on their own group, Le Sserafim.

In recent months, Le Sserafim has faced criticism for their live vocal performances after several high-profile appearances, including music show encores and their set at Coachella in April 2024.

On November 1, a leaked document shared by a HYBE employee began circulating online, revealing the company’s awareness of these critiques. The document even compares Le Sserafim’s situation to that of another K-pop artist, Lim Young-woong.

The document states, per Koreaboo: “A bit of momentum had built up, but it got somewhat diluted after Lim Young-woong’s dance song performance, where his lip-syncing was quite obvious. There are definitely people trying to exploit this group’s weaknesses to attack them, and the fact that they’re starting to target live performance skills could be a warning sign. They need to keep looking for ways to strengthen this area. Considering their upcoming performances, finding a clear way to overcome any controversies regarding live singing is essential.”

HYBE had recently faced scrutiny after parts of its “music industry report” were disclosed during a National Assembly audit last month.

The report was compiled weekly by a HYBE executive listed as A, a former music critic and now the editor-in-chief of Weverse Magazine (a publication of HYBE’s Weverse Company), and was shared with multiple HYBE executives, including Chairman Bang Si Hyuk.

Following the report’s release, HYBE clarified that the report in question was monitoring data, and not an official HYBE statement.

“While this document was created within HYBE, it merely contains monitoring data and does not represent HYBE’s stance. We acknowledge the report’s inappropriateness and will work to prevent similar issues from recurring,” HYBE COO and Belift Lab CEO Kim Tae Ho stated.

“The monitoring report disclosed at the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee audit collects various opinions and public sentiment from fandoms and the industry,” HYBE wrote in another statement posted promptly on its website after the report’s release. “It compiles responses from communities and social media as-is for reference by a small internal group and does not reflect HYBE’s position.”

Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.