LE SSERAFIM’s HYBE Promo Material Sparks Controversy Online
LE SSERAFIM is facing backlash over their latest promotional material for an upcoming college festival. The new retro-themed graphic, posted on their official social media, quickly went viral among Korean netizens—but not for positive reasons.
The controversy began when a post on the Korean forum theqoo titled “HYBE’s Take On The Retro Trend” highlighted the flashy promotional image. The graphic featured loud fireworks, neon-colored text, and dramatic phrases like “Heart Explosion Warning.” Captions read, “In May, LE SSERAFIM girls are coming!” and “We’re taking over the campus!”
Fans quickly reacted, comparing the design to outdated Korean nightclub advertisements, specifically the infamous “Hobak Night” flyers. These are known for their flashy, old-fashioned style aimed at older male audiences, which many felt clashed with LE SSERAFIM’s image.
“A nightclub concept for a girl group… this seriously feels like something that could only come out of an old ahjussi’s brain.”
“Their debut aesthetic really never left them LOL.”
“It’s literally Hobak Night.”
“This is so lame LOL… Protect LE SSERAFIM.”
“So HYBE-coded.”
“I saw this on Twitter and got secondhand embarrassment so bad.”
“Ever since their debut concept fell apart, their direction has become more disappointing over time. Everything up until the Smart album was genuinely really good though…”
“Do they not have a designer? Why is their aesthetic like this?”
Others expressed disappointment over what they see as LE SSERAFIM’s inconsistent branding, reminiscing about the group’s stronger debut image.
“This is official?”
“Retro has to at least be pretty… You can’t just make it look like it’s from that era and call it a day.”
“Trashy cheap aesthetic…”
“This is seriously so tacky… Hobak Night vibes?”
“How is this ‘retro’? It’s nightclub vibes. Seriously, they’ve completely lost their touch.”
“So I wasn’t the only one whose mind immediately went to nightclubs and felt uncomfortable…”
“Is this a Hobak Night flyer?”
As the situation unfolded, the post continued gaining traction online, sparking debate over whether the design was meant to be campy and retro or simply a major aesthetic fail. Fans remain divided, but the backlash highlights growing concerns about LE SSERAFIM’s current visual direction.