HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk spotted in Seongsu with CORTIS merchandise
HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk / Korea Times photo by Kang Ye-jin
HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has drawn attention after photographs purportedly showing him shopping in Seoul’s Seongsu neighborhood circulated online.
The images offered an unusual glimpse into Bang’s private life, which last attracted widespread attention in 2024 when he was spotted in Beverly Hills with livestreamer Juice Seyeon.
Two photographs accompanied by an eyewitness account spread across online communities and social media Sunday. The images, reportedly first uploaded by a Chinese internet user to a Chinese social media platform, showed Bang walking along a street in Seongsu and browsing products inside a boutique.
One detail quickly caught the attention of online observers: A keychain attached to his shoulder bag appeared to feature merchandise from CORTIS, a rookie boy band under HYBE subsidiary BigHit Music.
Bang was dressed in a white shirt with a colorful pattern and black pants. Some online users also commented that he appeared to have gained weight when compared with photographs taken after his widely discussed weight loss.
A woman was seen walking in the same direction as Bang, although it remains unclear whether she was accompanying him or was simply a passerby.
Juice Seyeon / Captured from Tak Jae-hoon's YouTube channel
This is not the first time Bang has drawn attention after being photographed with a woman in public. In August 2024, he made headlines after he was seen crossing a street in Beverly Hills with Juice Seyeon and her older sister.
HYBE said at the time that Bang had first met Seyeon at a gathering of acquaintances and later advised her on how to deal with someone impersonating an entertainment industry official. The company said he also helped guide her during her stay in Los Angeles.
Seyeon said she had arranged to meet Bang but maintained that he had only shown her to a restaurant she had booked and did not dine with her.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.