SM Entertainment faces two new controversies; why are netizens unhappy with the K-Pop label?

It’s not been a good 24 hours for K-Pop label SM Entertainment, as the company has been involved in not one but two controversies overnight, once again leading netizens to take to social media and ask questions of the K-Pop giant. 

During a recent episode of the popular variety show ‘Dolsing Fourmen’, Super Junior member Kyuhyun revealed shocking details about his past experiences with SM Entertainment. He initially discussed his aspirations for marriage, expressing a desire to get married before turning 40. However, the conversation took an unexpected turn when he delved into his high school days and a significant transformation in his appearance.

Kyuhyun then revealed that during his high school years, he did not have double eyelids, which gave him a unique appearance. He then dropped a bombshell by alleging that SM Entertainment had pressured him into undergoing cosmetic surgery.

He stated, "You may not believe me, but at the time, I didn't have double eyelids. I got them after I debuted because the label forced me to."

Furthermore, Kyuhyun expressed his frustration at being labelled a "cosmetic monster" by netizens due to this cosmetic procedure. He lamented that his double eyelids would sometimes become undone, leading to criticism. 

He pointed out that despite having many normal photos from his past, people seemed to focus solely on one specific photo from his high school days, perpetuating a particular narrative about his appearance

Super Junior fans unhappy with the choice of venue for a fan meeting

SM Entertainment also drew the ire of Super Junior fans upon the announcement of their venue for the group's fan meeting, originally scheduled to be held on November 4, 2023. The label revealed the meet-up would take place at the Kyunghee University Grand Peace Palace, which is a university auditorium hall with a seating capacity of only 4,500 fans.

Fans expressed their dissatisfaction and frustration with this venue choice, primarily because they believed it would not accommodate all the fans, including international ones, who wanted to attend the event. Super Junior's first offline fan meeting in South Korea in 8 years was expected to attract a significant crowd, and fans felt that the venue was too small for such a high-profile group.

The fans accused SM Entertainment of booking the venue late, which resulted in larger venues being unavailable. They criticized the company's negligence in handling venue bookings for Super Junior's events, including group concerts, solo concerts, and fan meetings.