H1-KEY’s “Unbelievable” music video is deleted amid objections to AI use

The official music video for K-pop group H1-KEY’s Nov. 13 single “Unbelievable” has been deleted from the group’s YouTube channel. On Nov. 15 in South Korea, YouTube said at the original URL that the uploader had deleted the video. Fans had objected to what they said was the use of generative AI to depict the members in the teaser. The single remains listed on Melon and Apple Music, and a separate dance practice video is still public.

H1-KEY announced the music video for 6 p.m. Korea Standard Time on Nov. 13 and linked to it on social media. An archive of the announcement and the original coverage point to the same YouTube upload. The separate link for the group’s music video teaser, posted at midnight KST at the start of Nov. 12, displays the same uploader deletion notice. Neither notice gives the time the uploader deleted the clip.

Fans first objected to the teaser

The fan site M1-KEY Official published a statement objecting to what it described as Choi Creative Lab’s use of AI in promotional teasers. It called on the label to remove the teasers and stop using AI for the group’s content. The site also linked to a letter drafted by fan account H1KEYHQ. The campaign took issue with the videos before the single’s release.

Media outlets reported that the objections concerned how the video depicted the members’ faces and movements and whether the group had taken part in production. K-POPIT reported that member Hwiseo said on a fan messaging service that she had filmed no scenes for the video. The label’s public material reviewed for this article did not address whether particular shots were generated or whether scenes depicting members included live footage. The deleted watch page also no longer shows whether the original upload carried an AI label.

The recording and practice clip remain public

Melon lists “Unbelievable” as a dance track released Nov. 13 and displays its songwriters and composers. Apple Music lists a one-track single with a recording copyright notice for Choi Creative Lab. The audio-only upload remains public on YouTube as well. Listeners still have access to the released recording while the original music video links are unavailable.

At 7 p.m. KST on Nov. 14, the group’s channel posted a fixed-camera dance practice video for the same song. A fan chant guide from the evening of Nov. 13 and a Nov. 14 dance challenge featuring ATEEZ’s Mingi were also public when checked. The practice video has its own URL and is billed as a fixed-camera rehearsal. Links to the original music video still point to the deleted clip.

Stone Music made its copy private

A separate full music video uploaded to the Stone Music YouTube channel is marked private. Its short music video excerpt displays an uploader deletion notice. YouTube says private videos stay accessible to people selected by the uploader and are absent from the channel’s public video list and search results. The full video on H1-KEY’s own channel displays a different status, deletion by the uploader. A Stone Music short greeting listeners about the release was still public on Nov. 15.

YouTube’s disclosure rules cover realistic synthetic or altered content, including depictions of a real person doing something they did not do. When a creator discloses that kind of AI use, the platform labels the video. For photorealistic material, the label can appear in the player. YouTube also accepts privacy complaints from people who say a realistic synthetic version of their face or voice appears in a video. It considers whether they are identifiable and whether viewers were told the material was altered, among other factors.

The notice does not indicate that YouTube applied its disclosure or privacy procedures. YouTube’s help pages also say a fresh upload would get a new URL. The group’s public channel and notices reviewed on Nov. 15 gave no reason for the deletion or date for a new music video release.