Livestreamer Seyeon’s explanation for meeting with Bang sparks further backlash

The controversy surrounding Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s meeting with 23-year-old AfreecaTV streamer Seyeon in Los Angeles has intensified, despite her attempt to clarify the situation during a livestream Sunday.

Seyeon addressed the issue during her internet broadcast on the local video streaming platform at 9 p.m. Sunday, following a notification she posted the day before. The explanation was prompted by a video released by American YouTuber “I am WalKing” last Thursday, which showed Seyeon and Bang together on a street in Beverly Hills in July.

During the livestream, Seyeon confirmed that she met Bang through her sister but denied that their encounter in Los Angeles was coincidental, as some media outlets had suggested.

“How could it be a coincidence that we met in the US? Chairman Bang is said to have face blindness. Let’s be realistic here,” Seyeon said.

She explained that her sister was already acquainted with Bang, who had come out to assist them in booking a famous Beverly Hills restaurant they could not reserve on their own. Seyeon also revealed that her connection with Bang began last year when she helped Hybe catch someone impersonating a company employee.

“Last year, I received a direct message on Instagram from someone pretending to be from Hybe. The message was suspicious and not work-related. Since my sister knew Chairman Bang, I asked her to verify it with him, and it turned out the person was an imposter,” Seyeon added.

She claimed she played a role in helping Hybe catch the culprit who has since been prosecuted and imprisoned. “That’s how Chairman Bang became aware of me, even though we had never met in person,” she added. “As a gesture of gratitude, Bang offered his support.”

Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk is seen in Los Angeles with livestreamer Seyeon (left) and her older sister in July. (YouTube)

However, Seyeon’s explanation has sparked further questions, particularly regarding how Bang became acquainted with the sister of a streamer known for producing suggestive content.

Hybe, in a statement last Thursday, had said that Bang had met Seyeon’s sister at a gathering of acquaintances.

Seyeon also said the person that Bang is seen taking a picture of, which spread quickly online, was her sister.

“That day, I met up with my sister in Beverly Hills. A video of us was taken on the street before we headed to a restaurant. I had a severe stomachache and went to the restroom, and during that time, the kind Chairman Bang was taking photos,” Seyeon explained. “The woman in the photo is not me, it’s my sister.”

Hybe currently faces multiple internal and external challenges. The ongoing case of a “management rights seizure incident” involving Min Hee-jin, CEO of Hybe’s subsidiary Ador, has resulted in unfavorable public opinion against the company with other Hybe subsidiaries such as Source Music and Belift Lab taking legal action against Min. These issues have caused Hybe’s stock price to fluctuate, leaving shareholders uneasy.

Adding to the turmoil, the controversy involving Bang and Seyeon arose just after news broke that BTS member Suga had his driver’s license revoked for operating an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol.

Music critic Jung Duk-hyun said that while Bang’s private life should not be a target of criticism, he should have been more cautious given Hybe’s current difficulties.

“The ongoing negative developments surrounding Hybe, particularly the recent incident involving Suga’s drunk driving, continue to create social issues that the public inevitably views negatively,” Jung said on Monday.

“While Bang might have considered it a private matter, he may not have exercised enough caution. Given Hybe’s current challenges and declining public image, such controversies are far from beneficial from a corporate standpoint,” Jung said.