ATEEZ's leader Hongjoong is causing a stir with his latest release, and it might just be aimed at Bang Si Hyuk and HYBE!

On January 15th, Hongjoong dropped his new digital single SMB featuring rapper Odetari, but the lyrics quickly raised eyebrows. Fans and netizens are speculating that the song takes shots at Bang Si Hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, and the company itself.

In the rap, Hongjoong spits lines like, "Not fun at all," "Act your age, scoundrel," and "Think you've made it? hitman." The words “hitman” and “bang” particularly caught attention, as “hitman” is a nickname closely associated with Bang Si Hyuk, and “bang” could be seen as a subtle nod to his name.

The lyrics don’t stop there, with Hongjoong also rapping, “If you have time to watch others, be careful of your own back,” “Jealousy blinds your life”, and “The way you're cursing with a real name mentioned”.

These bold lines have many questioning if they were aimed at someone in particular, with many linking the words to recent issues surrounding HYBE.

Last year, HYBE was in the spotlight after leaked internal documents made crude comments about K-pop idols' appearances during a National Assembly audit.

The revelation caused public outrage, and HYBE CEO Lee Jae Sang later apologized, taking full responsibility for the incident and pledging to prevent similar issues in the future.

Despite the buzz surrounding the lyrics, KQ Entertainment, Hongjoong’s agency, has remained silent. They told HeraldPOP, “We have no official stance on this matter”, leaving fans and critics to interpret the lyrics on their own.

While the controversy swirls, ATEEZ is gearing up for the grand finale of their 2025 world tour ‘TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER’ in Seoul at the KSPO Dome in March 2025, so all eyes will be on the group as the drama unfolds.

Fans are definitely divided on whether Hongjoong’s lyrics were a direct dig at HYBE or just artistic expression. What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

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BTS's V is making his fans fall even more in love with him as he shares moments from his life just 40 days before his military discharge.

On April 30, V posted several new photos on his Instagram story, giving fans a sneak peek into his daily routine.

Among the photos was a beautiful shot of cherry blossoms, accompanied by the word "cherry blossom" as he expressed his longing for spring.

He followed up with more photos, sharing how much he wanted to enjoy the season with his fans.

To make the post even more special, V added background music from BTS member J-Hope's song Sweet Dreams and Design by the American punk band Gustav.

It turns out that Gustav was grateful for V introducing their music to the world and even received fan comments saying they discovered the band through him.

In another adorable photo, V posed with CF director Ray J. Yi (Lee Jun Yeob), with flowers in his hair. The director also shared the cute photo, adding the word "flower" to express how happy he was with the moment.

But it wasn’t all about flowers and beauty—V also gave fans a peek at his workout routine. He proudly showed off his toned arm muscles in a picture, though his face appeared a little thinner.

This is likely due to his diet, as he’s been working hard to maintain his figure ahead of his discharge. Before enlisting, V weighed 62 kg, and during his service, he reached 86 kg. Now, he’s lost 10 kg and is preparing for his return to the public eye.

Interestingly, V has been working out at the same place where singer Kim Jong Kook films his popular YouTube channel Jim Jong Kook, sparking fan excitement and hopes that V might make an appearance on the show after he’s discharged.

As soon as V shared his latest update, his name—"KIM TAEHYUNG"—shot to the top of real-time trending charts worldwide. Fans from all over the globe, including in the U.S., couldn’t get enough of the updates, proving once again the massive impact V has.

He is set to be discharged from the military on June 10, and fans are eagerly awaiting his return.

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