K-Netz Call Out HYBE's 'Obsession' Over EXO After Revisiting BTS, &TEAM's Concepts: '10 Years of Inferiority Complex'

EXO's track "Obsession," released in 2019, re-entered the music charts amid HYBE's internal reports leakage, recalling the time the corporation "plagiarized" the group through BTS and &TEAM.

Recently, HYBE was caught in a dilemma after its confidential documents sabotaging other labels' artists were exposed at the National Assembly's state audit in October.

Here, its staff's ploy to noise market artists, create media play against other idols as well as other strategic marketing that will favor them were revealed, attracting huge backlash from the K-pop world.

Among their victims is EXO, the group known to be a rival of its group, BTS. SM launched the originally 12-member act in 2012, while Bang Si Hyuk established the latter team in 2013.

During the heyday of the two groups, Eris (EXO) fandom repeatedly complained about BTS being a "copycat" of EXO, first recognizing the resemblance in its logos.

The hereinafter nonet is also known for their jersey numbers in 2013 that represent each member but in the following year, BTS also started having their jersey numbers, adding to the frustrations of EXO-Ls.

This "plagiarism" accusation continued when the"Growl" hitmakers introduced school uniforms as costumes, and BTS also returned with the same concept.

READ ALSO: EXO: The Real Kings of K-pop, Eclipsing BTS & BLACKPINK in Wealth, Influence

However, as both fandoms were strong, their rivalry went on for over a decade now with no one backing down. Just then, Eris will once again feel furious with HYBE as its new boy group &TEAM's concepts were also similar to EXO's. Even their slogan, "We Are One Team," is like a copy of the nonet's "We Are One."

This HYBE's "obsession" over EXO continued even when the members left SM one by one.

In the document retrieved from last year, the company noted malicious rumors about D.O., Baekhyun, and Chen. Eris are guessing that HYBE is behind negative articles that circulated the group in 2023 to break apart EXO.

However, Eris countered and teased HYBE's "inferiority complex" by making the group's 2019 hit, "Obsession" make it into the chart again. Eris also declared that even if the label tries hard to copy EXO, it will not be able to replicate the group's top-tier skills & talents.

RELATED ARTICLE: EXO Wins 'Favorite Star' in 1st KTOPSTAR, Beating BLACKPINK & BTS in Group Category

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Written by Eunice Dela Cruz