"We sincerely apologize to all artists, staff and fans suffered by the revelation of these documents," HYBE's CEO Lee Jae-sang said in a statement on Tuesday.
The formal apology came about a week after the behemoth faced criticism at a National Assembly hearing when it was revealed that it had improperly evaluated its K-pop idols and those managed by other agencies.
The documents apparently included insulting and abusive comments about certain K-pop artists, describing them with statements like, "They debuted at an age when they were particularly unattractive," "None of them look like idols," and "Some members looked surprisingly ugly."
It is unclear whom the company was referring to, but internal assessments were said to be made about teenage stars as well.
HYBE tried to smooth ruffled feathers, claiming that the weekly documents, circulated to only a limited number of executives, were intended solely to analyze industry trends and relevant issues.
The entertainment giant that manages a number of manufactured bands, including K-pop superstar BTS and girl group NewJeans, has stirred up controversy in recent months. Earlier this month, Hanni, a member of NewJeans, appeared at the National Assembly, testifying that she had been bullied by her agency.
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