Another K-pop scandal? SM Entertainment accused of meddling in KBS show

EXO members Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen on the Weverse fan platform. Image: Weverse via The Korea Herald

EXO member Xiumin’s new agency INB100, on Tuesday, accused SM Entertainment of meddling with local broadcaster KBS to prevent the singer from appearing on a music show. The following day, MC Mong, co-founder of One Hundred, further criticized SM Entertainment for allegedly exerting influence over the broadcaster.

One Hundred, the parent company of Xiumin’s agency INB100, revealed Tuesday that KBS had been unresponsive to their attempts to schedule the singer for an appearance on “Music Bank,” despite repeated inquiries. The company alleged that KBS had informally communicated that “Xiumin would not be allowed to appear on the program alongside SM Entertainment artists.”

MC Mong further went on to post on his social media: “Do you guys remember coming to my house to apologize? Now, you’re isolating yourselves, acting barbaric and violent. It’s disgraceful. Someone who’s never made music is leading A&R, while an ignorant manager plays CEO, recklessly running things. Your greed and ignorance will leave you all alone — I promise you that.” The post has since been deleted.

However, KBS denied the claims, stating that discussions regarding Xiumin’s appearance were ongoing and that there was no intentional exclusion.

EXO’s Xiumin. Image: SM Entertainment via The Korea Herald

Xiumin left SM Entertainment in 2023 to join INB100, the agency founded by fellow EXO members Baekhyun and Chen.

The broadcasting dispute follows a legal battle last year involving Baekhyun, Chen, and Xiumin — often referred to as EXO-CBX. The three members challenged their contracts with SM Entertainment, citing unfair terms and a lack of financial transparency. The conflict was settled in August, with the three members agreeing to continue EXO group activities under SM while pursuing individual careers elsewhere.

SM Entertainment previously accused MC Mong and Big Planet Made of attempting to poach EXO members, an allegation both MC Mong and BPM denied. MC Mong was an internal director of BPM then.

Music critic Lim Hee-yun noted that if One Hundred’s claims are true, the issue extends beyond SM Entertainment.

“Although more media platforms exist today, major broadcasting channels and top agencies still dominate K-pop’s promotional landscape. With a limited number of production companies and influential broadcasters, cases like this become possible,” Lim said Wednesday.

He added that broadcasting stations naturally want high viewership and must consider the influence of powerful agencies when selecting artists for their programs. “If a company controls a majority of the industry’s top artists, it can leverage that power to limit exposure for artists associated with rival agencies.”

EXO members (from left) Baekhyun, Xiumin, Chen. Image: Twitter/@weareoneEXO

Stephanie Choi, a postdoctoral researcher at the State University of New York at Buffalo, pointed out that K-pop companies have increasingly relied on fans to advocate for their artists in industry conflicts.

“In the past, television producers had more control over K-pop, as TV appearances were essential for idol promotion. But with the rise of social media, companies now depend heavily on grassroots fan engagement to promote their artists,” Choi said.

“This is why Korean fans, who play a significant role in physical promotional activities, often reject public accusations like this. Essentially, companies are asking fans to intervene in their disputes, but fans worry that such controversies could harm the artist’s public image — especially ahead of a major album release,” she added.