K-Pop Fans Raise Concerns About Weverse's New Paid DM Feature

Weverse is implementing a new feature, but netizens have concerns.

HYBE says Weverse will launch "Weverse DM" next week, a private chat service where fans can exchange direct messages with their beloved artists "just like they do with friends" pic.twitter.com/zCAjaVWNtR

— Hyunsu Yim (@hyunsuinseoul) April 20, 2023

HYBE‘s social platform Weverse is adding a new paid feature called “Weverse DM” that will allow fans to send direct messages to their favorite K-Pop idols.

Now we DM each other!💌

Weverse DM is a messaging service that lets you have direct conversations with your favorite artists, and it will open soon💞 Find out which artists you'll be able to DM soon! Stay tuned!#Weverse #Weverse_DM pic.twitter.com/fcOyjXQgOm

— Weverse (@weverseofficial) April 24, 2023

Rather than be excited about the new feature, netizens expressed quite the opposite reaction in the comment section. It was filled with negative responses, saying the platform didn’t need Weverse DM.

This weverse dm thing is so weird. Like idols are kind of obligated to reply you because you paid them. Sometimes we don't have energy to reply even our friends😭

— SUPER hmingx☁ (@Quilatee__) April 20, 2023

Weverse users pointed out pre-existing app concerns that have yet to be addressed or fixed. Ever since Weverse added the live broadcast feature, K-Pop fans have expressed dismay over the lack of subtitles and recent bad comments appearing while the artist is live.

Adding dms to weverse as if those weird comments on weverse lives weren't enough. pic.twitter.com/g8z4BGmgb1

— Sumsum⁷🍊I love you Yoongi (@SumSumSeVeN) April 20, 2023

Recently, BTS‘s RM and V called out weird, inappropriate, and/or basic comments during their solo live broadcasts.

Namjoon: Many people are writing strange chat.
🐨 You guys have changed.
🐨 I think it's better to do a live without looking at the comments

Hope this is a lesson for some of those weverse weirdos, we need to start cleaning the chats: pic.twitter.com/OAfm3GmV0r

— 해금 (@d20162023) April 1, 2023

🐻 alright. whenever i go live, i always get a few classic questions. one is “yoongi marry me,” then there’s “what’s a tmi/random fact?” “selfie”… “have you heard of mongolia? can you come to europe? can i go to sweden?” guys, of course i know all of these places.
😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/jFgbjm5ZJU

— Ayat🎓JK⁹⁷ JJK X CK ❤️‍🔥 (@7btskook) April 19, 2023

Likewise, Jungkook decided to no longer look at comments during his recent solo live broadcast at his home.

🐰 ah im just not going to look at the comments i'm going to turn it off. because each comment is so different. everyone, i'm not looking at your comments. today i dont want to look at comments. 🥺🤏🏻#JUNGKOOK #Jungkooklive pic.twitter.com/3LJ7YQTFIw

— Ayat🎓JK⁹⁷ JJK X CK ❤️‍🔥 (@7btskook) April 24, 2023

Similarly, fans are most concerned about how Weverse DM will affect the artists. They believe it will negatively impact idols’ mental health, especially as some non-fans or haters could abuse the feature. So, netizens are suggesting alternatives.

doesnt even matter if BTS & TXT are exempt from the weverse dm feature. it’s a HORRIBLE idea in general. we’ve already witnessed idols be negatively impacted by what’s posted online regardless of the social media platform. this only gives evil people access to harass them further

— suk ✘⁷ 🌱💤 (@namverse) April 24, 2023

Weverse DM is not an entirely new creation. It’s reminiscent of other paid DM services, such as the Bubble app, that other entertainment companies, such as JYP Entertainment, have used. Recently, STAYs urged the company to take action as it was discovered that presumably akgaes or solo stans had joined together to pay for the service in order to directly send Stray Kids‘ Hyunjin hateful messages, including death wishes.

STAYs Urge JYP Entertainment To Protect Stray Kids’ Hyunjin Due To Cyber Attacks

Weverse has attempted to reassure users (and warn them). The platform will utilize AI (Artificial-Intelligence) technology to “automatically check messages” to monitor the content so that an artist will not receive inappropriate or abusive direct messages.