While K-pop idols often show mutual affection and respect for each other, the reality is that competition between entertainment companies is fundamentally as fierce as in any other industry. They compete directly in the market, but there are also more subtle, behind-the-scenes forms of rivalry.

There have been numerous cases where companies attempt to limit activities or “discourage” their own artists from interacting with idols from other companies. This is similar to competitive business strategies used to maintain market advantage in any industry — or, more simply, a way for leadership to express hostility and maintain tense relationships.

Recently, news spread on social media about SM artists being restricted from activities related to BTS, stemming from a conversation between the leader of NCT Wish and a female fan, which caused a stir online. The tense relationship between HYBE and SM quickly became a hot topic.

Specifically, in a video recorded at an NCT Wish fansign, leader Sion was asked by a fan, “Could you do the ‘Killin’ It Girl’ challenge?” Sion responded, “I really want to do it but our situation right now won’t allow it, the company… but I really want to do it.”

Even though he couldn’t participate in the TikTok dance challenge, Sion still performed the dance moves with joy and pαѕѕion, as if he had mastered them but simply didn’t have the opportunity to showcase them. This further sparked online discussions about why the management company would not allow him, NCT, or even other SM artists to perform the Killin’ It Girl dance challenge.

This also reminded fans of the ѕнσ¢кing incident involving SM, Big Hit Music, and BTS that Nate Walka revealed in April this year. The αмєяι¢αn musician disclosed that in 2014, SM Entertainment tried to persuade him not to participate in the reality show αмєяι¢αn Hustle Life with BTS, but instead to work with EXO.

Walka explained that while he was considering joining the show, a team from EXO’s songwriting camp contacted him and suggested he avoid working with BTS and collaborate with EXO instead - the group dominating the charts at that time.

"They (SM Entertainment) said BTS was an experiment and that it wasn't going to go anywhere. They were calling them a 'filler group' and all this stuff. But when I watched that video (Bulletproof), I thought, 'Man, whoever's saying that clearly doesn't understand what music and entertainment really is'", he recalled.

While fans praised Sion’s response, some began debating his remarks, particularly regarding the relationships between the management companies. They wrote:

- LOL sm being pressed and a poor excuse again and again... Those labels fear BTS and are pissed they didn't get BTS themselves

- I just hope he doesn't get in trouble for doing a simple dance challenge. SM is really cruel

- lmao αѕѕm doesn't surprise me one bit. they ever tried to bring BTS down in the pαѕѕ

- sm acting like their artists dancing to bts songs would give bts free promo, as if bts isn’t already bigger than all of their groups combined

- Lmfao sm never beating the allegations

- SM literally can’t stand BTS’s success… so now their artists can’t even have fun dancing? Unbelievable

- I don’t get it. How does banning a dance challenge make SM's artist more famous? SM logic is wild

- SM needs to chill. Blocking a TikTok dance challenge won’t erase BTS’s impact. Fans are shaking their heads

- SM and their never ending beef with BTS

- Poor the idol— he looks like actually a fan of j-hope, what тнє нєℓℓ is SM doing?

- is that because of some sm vs hybe thing or is sm going through sth rn that doesn't allow their idols to make challenges with any other idols from other companies?

- Ah, so basically SM is shunning them because BTS is too good? Would you call that smart or just plain stupid?

- once again, armys are right. we said that bts is being treated like voldemort by other groups and we were right. their company is not allowing them to say their name, do their challenges, etc... how pathetic lmaooo

- Actually, I realized BTS is like the Voldemort of this industry — you can’t even just dance to one of their songs.

- Funny, because once I said here that it seemed like some idols were forbidden from even just saying BTS’s name, and I was called “crazy."