As the image of ILLIT’s Wonhee reporting hate comments emerged, netizens suspected that it was staged by HYBE.
Recently, during ILLIT’s livestream on Weverse to celebrate the group’s 50th day since debut, member Wonhee can be seen reporting hate comments herself, drawing sympathy.
However, many netizens have since speculated this to be a planned move by HYBE for “sympathy points”, especially as ILLIT is constantly coming under criticism due to the ILLIT-NewJeans copying controversy.
Particularly, it was pointed out that before the scene of herself reporting hate comments, Wonhee can be seen constantly looking off-screen, likely at the staff. Then, she was handed a phone – making her the only member to have a phone while the remaining members use a tablet. Meanwhile, in other live streams, even when she was sitting at the edge of the group, Wonhee was never handed a separate phone, but would just use a tablet with her other members.
Additionally, normally, groups only hold livestreams on their 100th day anniversary, causing the timing of ILLIT’s livestream to fall under suspicion.
With all this “evidence”, many netizens believe that HYBE intentionally told Wonhee to read hate comments and create a “pitiful image” for ILLIT.
Below are some comments from netizens:
- Why are they handing her a phone out of nowhere? With everything that has been going on, they totally did it intentionally
- I feel really sorry for the member, to be forced to read hate comments just for the company’s media play scheme
- HYBE is really trash…
- This is so obviously staged. The member was so young and could not act but had to do what was told
- Shouldn’t they protect the artists by not letting them come on live at a sensitive time like this? They want sympathy points so bad
