Weverse Magazine Apologizes for Controversial Internal Report

Weverse Magazine has issued a clarifying statement and a public apology regarding a contentious internal report from HYBE that included negative comments about artists from rival agencies. The magazine emphasized that the report was solely the work of its former editor-in-chief, distancing itself from the damaging content that has shaken the K-Pop industry.

Clarification from Weverse Magazine Team

On November 9, the Weverse Magazine team released a statement asserting that the current staff had no knowledge of the report's content or its creation. They reiterated that only the former editor-in-chief bore responsibility, and no other members of the team or external contributors were involved in its production.

The Backlash Following the Audit

The controversy erupted during a National Assembly audit on October 24, revealing that the report had circulated among HYBE's executives. The backlash was swift, leading to a formal apology from HYBE's CEO, Park Ji Won, who acknowledged the report's offensive nature and the distress it caused.

Consequences for the Former Editor-in-Chief

In its statement, Weverse Magazine highlighted that the former editor-in-chief has been dismissed from their role and is no longer affiliated with the publication. They made it clear that the magazine stands against the sentiments expressed in the controversial report.

Commitment to Integrity and Quality Content

Weverse Magazine’s apology sought to reaffirm its commitment to integrity and the delivery of quality content to its readership. They expressed regret over the negative implications of the report on its loyal followers.

Full Statement from Weverse Magazine Team

The full statement from the Weverse Magazine team reads: 'This is the Weverse Magazine team. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and concern caused to those of you who cherish Weverse Magazine due to the situation that arose from the monitoring document… The document in question was created by the former editor-in-chief for a separate task, and the Weverse Magazine team members were not aware of its existence… No Weverse Magazine team members or external writers were involved in creating the monitoring document, except for the former editor-in-chief… We apologize once again for being mentioned in this unfortunate incident… Weverse Magazine promises to reward our readers with more profound and richer content in the future.'

Ongoing Observations and Future Steps

As this incident continues to unfold, many K-Pop fans and industry insiders are keenly observing how both Weverse Magazine and HYBE will navigate the fallout. The reassurance from Weverse Magazine about a renewed focus on high-quality content is seen as an essential step towards restoring trust in their brand. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest developments in this ongoing story!