The Biggest K-Pop Controversies of 2025: NewJeans, BTS, Kim Soo-hyun & More

NewJeans Returns to HYBE — But With One Less Member

One of the biggest stories of the year was the ongoing legal feud between HYBE and NewJeans. The conflict stemmed from a power struggle between parent company HYBE and ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin (who was later dismissed), as well as accusations that another HYBE label had copied NewJeans’ concept. After Min’s removal, the group tried to terminate their contracts over “broken trust,” but in October 2025, a court ruled their exclusive deals with HYBE remain valid through 2029.

Following the ruling, members began renegotiating individually: Hyein, Haerin, and Hanni are set to return to ADOR, while Minji is still in talks with HYBE as of December 30. Meanwhile, member Danielle was dropped from ADOR and now faces a potential $30M+ lawsuit involving alleged contract violations and “unauthorized activities,” along with accusations of remaining loyal to the former CEO.

BTS Returns From Military Service

A major turning point for K-pop in 2025: All seven members of BTS completed military service by June, officially ending their three-year group hiatus and paving the way for a highly anticipated comeback.

Kim Soo-hyun Dating Scandal Resurfaces

Kim Soo-hyun made headlines in April after emotionally denying allegations that he dated late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was a minor. The claims came from a YouTube channel suggesting they dated for six years starting when she was 15.

Kim “tearfully denied” ever dating her as a minor, calling the accusations untrue. His agency eventually clarified that the two dated only between 2019 and 2020 — after she became an adult — though they initially denied the relationship entirely.

The situation escalated when brands including Prada and Dinto cut ties with him. The controversy was reignited by a close-up photo of the pair that was briefly posted, then deleted, from Kim Sae-ron’s Instagram while his drama Queen of Tears was airing, fueling further speculation.

aespa’s Karina Faces Political Backlash

aespa’s Karina sparked political controversy in June when she shared a photo wearing a jacket with a red “2” — a number and color widely associated with Korea’s conservative People Power Party — just ahead of the country’s presidential election.

Speaking on Jung Jae-hyung’s YouTube channel “Fairy Jaehyung” in August, Karina urged fans to understand the situation was unintentional.

“I want to talk about it because there truly was no such intention,” she said. “I’m so sorry for worrying our fans and many others. I was out with staff and bought an extra jacket because the weather was chilly. I just posted a photo to communicate with fans, but then I was contacted about it and took it down. I was simply ignorant. Even if I was overseas, I should have known better.”

Kiss of Life Accused of Cultural Appropriation

Girl group Kiss of Life came under fire in April for cultural appropriation during a livestream celebrating member Julie’s birthday. The stream featured an “old-school hip hop” theme and included hairstyles, clothing, and mannerisms associated with Black culture — with international fans calling it “cosplaying Black culture.”

Before the livestream, Belle attempted to hype fans on Bubble, writing, “Promise you won’t leave the fandom after watching it,” which many saw as acknowledging potential backlash.

Despite handwritten apologies and a statement from S2 Entertainment, criticism intensified. Many fans felt the group avoided directly naming the cultural communities affected.

“We realize now that our content was culturally insensitive and take full responsibility for our actions and can only promise to do better,” the group wrote. “We’ve spent the past few days learning and reflecting on how our actions have disappointed many of you.”

Sojang Faces Major Legal Consequences

2025 also marked a turning point for Sojang (real name Park Jua), the operator of one of Korea’s most notorious rumor-spreading YouTube channels. In January, she received a two-year prison sentence suspended for three years, a fine of 210 million won (~$143,000 USD), and 120 hours of community service — a ruling upheld again in November.

Multiple idols brought civil lawsuits against her:

IVE’s Jang Wonyoung: Awarded 100 million won (~$75,000 USD)
BTS’s V and Jungkook: Awarded 76 million won total for defamation
Kang Daniel: Awarded 30 million won