Fandoms Push Back: FEARNOTs and GLITTS Draw a Line
Another flashpoint unfolded at HYBE this week. Chinese fan collectives for LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT sent protest trucks to the company’s Yongsan headquarters, rejecting the decision to return NewJeans to ADOR and expressing frustration over how their groups were repeatedly pulled into Min Hee-jin’s narrative.
For months, Min invoked LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT to support her accusations against HYBE, using them as rhetorical props in her press statements. Fans didn’t take it lightly—and neither did the agencies.
Both Source Music and BELIFT have filed lawsuits against Min, citing damage to their artists’ reputations.
Tensions heightened further after NewJeans lost its exclusive contract case. Once the group signaled its intent to return to ADOR, FEARNOTs and GLITTS renewed their calls for clearer boundaries and stronger protection, arguing that their idols should not be collateral in someone else’s corporate war.
It’s a reminder of how a conflict at the top can spill into the daily lives and safety of multiple teams across one umbrella company.
LE SSERAFIM Claims Tokyo Dome—And a 4th-Gen Record
80,000 FEARNOTs • Two Nights • One Historic Milestone
Amid the unrest, LE SSERAFIM delivered a career-defining triumph in Japan.
On November 18 and 19, 2025, the five-member group staged the encore of their “EASY CRAZY HOT” world tour at the legendary Tokyo Dome, performing to 80,000 FEARNOTs across two sold-out nights—an electrifying display of stamina, scale, and star power.
A New Benchmark in Dome History
LE SSERAFIM now holds the title of the highest-grossing 4th-gen K-pop girl group concert at Tokyo Dome, with an estimated:
¥1.386 billion (about $9 million USD) in revenue.
That figure places them above peers like IVE, aespa, and NewJeans in gross sales for the venue—thanks to a mix of premium ticketing, brisk merchandise sell-outs, and a fiercely engaged fanbase.
While IVE retains the attendance crown with 95,800 attendees in 2024, LE SSERAFIM’s financial peak marks a decisive achievement in a venue that has hosted icons from Michael Jackson to BLACKPINK.
A Homecoming Measured in Tears
What elevated the Dome encore beyond the metrics was the emotional weight carried by its two Japanese members, Sakura and Kazuha.
Sakura, who first appeared on the Tokyo Dome stage more than a decade ago as a young AKB48 member, described the moment as “surreal.” She spoke openly about the exchange inherent in an idol career—the dreams reached, the sacrifices made, and the decision she would make again if given another life.
Kazuha’s gratitude mirrored Sakura’s. She thanked FEARNOTs for turning someone “ordinary” into an artist she could finally be proud of, her voice breaking as the cheers filled the arena. Their shared tears created one of the most striking full-circle scenes of LE SSERAFIM’s career.
FEARNOTs, Your Group Just Sealed Their Dome Legacy
Tokyo Dome is where K-pop groups graduate from rising stars to undeniable forces. LE SSERAFIM walked in prepared, walked out historic, and left the industry with a reminder that fan dedication still builds empires.
The hotter the crazy, the brighter the easy.
And after this, Dome domination doesn’t seem like a milestone—it looks like a starting point.
