Ex-BigHit employee alleges chairman Bang Si-hyuk pressured her over political views during 2017 incident, as HYBE faces ongoing investigation
A former BigHit employee, Elly Chae-eun, has revealed allegations against Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE. In a viral post on theQoo, shared on June 7, 2025, she alleged that Bang Si-hyuk pressured her to support a specific political candidate during the 2017 South Korean presidential election.
Elly described a work-related meeting a few days before the election, where she had to work overtime and ended up having a meal with Bang Si-hyuk. According to her, during this meal, he insisted that she vote for Moon Jae-in.
Elly Chae-eun mentioned that he went as far as to grab her hand while urging her to support the candidate. As translated by Google, she wrote:
"At the time, the atmosphere was chaotic as the early presidential election was being held due to the impeachment of the president, and although I was originally a moderate conservative, I had mixed feelings about who I should vote for. The CEO at that time said "We must elect Moon Jae-in!""
Elly wrote that she had clearly expressed her centrist stance but was met with persistent pressure and unwanted physical contact.
She referred to the experience as "power harassment" and said it left her extremely uncomfortable and shaken.
"He suddenly grabbed my hand and strongly urged me to vote for Moon Jae-in. It was very unpleasant and embarrassing. Even though I politely disclosed my political views, he only talked about what he wanted to talk about, even making unwanted physical contact. Isn't this the epitome of workplace bullying?"
In her post, Elly noted the timing of her revelation, linking it to the current political climate as another presidential election approaches in South Korea.
Her account quickly spread across online communities.
Other allegations on Bang Si-hyuk and HYBE’s deepening financial scrutiny
In the same series of posts, Elly also alleged that she had been forced out of her position at BigHit and hinted at what she described as the company’s “greed.”
She shared that during her tenure, she had dedicated herself to the company at great personal cost, only to be dismissed by others.
She claimed she had not contributed during BigHit’s early years but later profited significantly through stock distributions and business deals.
Elly’s claims come as HYBE and Bang Si-hyuk face mounting scrutiny from financial regulators.
The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) is currently investigating Bang Si-hyuk for allegedly misleading early investors into selling shares to a private equity fund tied to one of his close associates.
Authorities recently conducted a search and seizure at HYBE’s headquarters.
In addition, another HYBE employee is under investigation for suspected insider trading related to YG Plus shares ahead of an investment announcement.
HYBE has stated that it is cooperating fully with investigative authorities and provided information regarding the former employee’s actions.
However, neither the company nor Bang Si-hyuk has commented publicly on the specific allegations made by Elly Chae-eun.
Meanwhile, investor concerns appear to be growing. HYBE’s stock price dropped 6.8% in late May, marking the steepest decline among Korea’s major entertainment companies during that period.
