BTOB Fans Express Concerns Over Group's Management and Fair Treatment
Fans of popular boy group BTOB have taken to social media to voice their dissatisfaction with the group's management and recent activities. The controversy arises from scheduling conflicts and perceived mishandling by the group's agency, raising concerns about member inclusion and fair treatment.
A recent video featuring all six BTOB members attempted to address these concerns, but fans pointed out that four members share the same agency, while Lee Changsub and Yook Sungjae are represented by individual agencies.
An overlapping concert arrangement between the agency overseeing the four members and Lee Changsub's solo concert sparked conflict, prompting the members to release an explanatory video.
The agency decided not to establish a separate unit name for the four-member activities, instead promoting them as part of BTOB and asserted that they are upholding the group's identity. Additionally, the official Japanese fan club was revised to include only the four members, excluding Lee Changsub and Yook Sungjae. Previous actions such as selling light sticks featuring only the four members as a BTOB renewal have been confirmed by the agency.
Contrary to the agency's explanations, Lee Changsub and Yook Sungjae have not consistently missed group activities due to personal schedules. Yook Sungjae recently returned to acting, while Lee Changsub resumed his activities after vocal cord issues delayed his solo album. The group had planned to promote together as six members initially, and Yook Sungjae's 2024 activity plans were announced in advance. The four-member activities were originally conceived as a unit project.
Despite efforts in the explanatory video to address concerns, fans noted varying responses from the members, with some downplaying the issue of overlapping schedules as inevitable and inconsequential. This has only fueled further dissatisfaction among fans.
Concerns were also raised when Lee Changsub and Yook Sungjae's social media accounts were not tagged in the video, adding to worries about their exclusion.
Fans are urging the agency to transparently address these issues and ensure fair treatment of all members to maintain the group's unity and trust with their supporters.