On May 17, netizens gathered in an online community titled, "People Throwing Out Albums of BTS Jungkook and SEVENTEEN In The Streets."

The author uploaded screenshots of numerous tweets on the forum, which showed Jungkook's "GOLDEN" albums and SEVENTEEN's newest release "17 IS RIGHT HERE" piled up in public areas such as street corners and bathroom stalls.

Moreover, OP also included articles from Korean media that tackled the artists' achievements in their first-week sales, album waste statistics, and Min Hee Jin's statement regarding HYBE's alleged "lack of ethics" and "record pushing." OP shared:

Translation: "This is not it. Our precious Jungkook's albums were all thrown out in the restroom."

"BTS Jungkook who set a new record for male solos in terms of first-week sales."

"SEVENTEEN" who set a new record for male groups in terms of first-week sales."

"K-pop Label Album Waste Increases Over 14 Times in 6 Years, HYBE, JYP, and Kakao in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd."

"As for the waste levy, 11 record labels paid more than 190 million won ($140,284 USD) as of 2020. HYBE has paid the most at 130 million ($95,984 USD), followed by JYP at 27 million won ($19,935 USD)."

"They even suggested to groups like NewJeans, who has high record sales, that they can surpass the records of other groups without 'pushing records," Min Hee Jin stated. "This shows a serious lack of ethics at HYBE."

"We understand that this is already a widespread practice in HYBE labels, but we urge you to investigate any deals with subsidiaries that could be seen as 'record pushing,' including any deals with subsidiaries that are contingent on returns and to be transparent and deal with them severely."

Netizens reacted to the thread. They expressed that bulk buying was common for any popular artist and claimed that other companies or fans of other groups were also guilty of the practice. Some were skeptical of the authenticity of the photos.

• "Also, why are you bringing up Jungkook's photo and faking their intent? Isn't this a violation notice?"

• "To be honest, I've seen other idols' fans doing the same as the ones from Jungkook's photos but it's honestly my first time seeing that amount of albums being thrown in the streets like the SEVENTEEN albums."

• "I really hope that SEVENTEEN gets investigated."
• "This isn't an issue that's unique to HYBE. Other companies of idols do the same. We need to get rid of the random photocards."

• "This is just trash."
• "Is there any idol who doesn't do this?"
• "A fan shared free albums at the Jangchung showcase and the albums were loaded in the foreign fan's car."
• "You purposely posted the albums' photos as if they were thrown away but she was sharing them for free. The foreign fan even wrote a post saying that all free albums were given away."

• "Is there any idol who doesn't do this?" 

• "You'd think that it only applied to HYBE idols. You're being too transparent."
• "This has been happening with almost all groups, especially boy groups because, yes, people want photocards and the chance to get into a fanmeeting."
• "Somehow people here only use this as some kind of "shade" when it comes to a group they don't like."
• "This has happened since 2nd gen and it's only getting worse and worse."
  

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Written by Israel Monte