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BIGHIT MUSIC issued a notice on Weverse declaring to pursue legal actions against any individual who spreads malicious content against BTS or attempts to cause them physical or psychological harm. On December 29, 2023, KST, an update on legal action taken against activities that violate label artists' rights was issued by all six domestic labels operating under HYBE Corporation.
Ten artists under HYBE Labels—BTS, Baekho, Hwang Min Hyun, SEVENTEEN, fromis_9, TOMORROW x TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, and &TEAM—were the subjects of the updates, which included legal actions aimed at defending their rights.
As a result, the K-pop fandoms rejoiced as soon as they came across the latest update from the music label and reacted to it on X:
"Do they actually do anything?": Fans question whether or not HYBE takes any action against perpetrators defaming & harassing BTS
BIGHIT MUSIC (operated under HYBE) stated on December 29, 2023, that the organization frequently files lawsuits against anyone who engages in harmful behavior associated with BTS, such as spreading false information, harassing s**ually, defaming, and making personal assaults. They continued to state that they wanted to provide the fans with an update on these initiatives.
This quarter, the label filed several criminal charges with law enforcement organizations based on information gathered via their own surveillance as well as information provided by the fans and followers on acts that violate the artists' rights, such as defamation.
The label added that penalties have been imposed after a criminal complaint was filed against a person for trespassing and stalking the idol at their residences. The artists have petitioned for harsher punishments, pointing out how grave the dangers to their privacy and safety are.
This brings to mind the stalking incident that BTS' Taehyung had to face in November 2023 when a lady followed him to his residence. In addition, BTS' Jungkook also alleged in his last Weverse LIVE on December 11, 2023, that several "sasaeng" (the Korean term for obsessive fans) are present outside his house at all times.
BIGHIT MUSIC wrote:
"The individual we filed criminal complaints against for violating the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking mentioned in our previous notice has been subjected to criminal penalties following the prosecution’s investigation. In consideration of the seriousness of behaviours that threaten the safety and privacy of the artists, we have submitted petitions urging more stringent penalties. The individual who repeatedly visited the artists’ residence was reported to the police for allegations of violation of the Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking and Trespassing, and an investigation is underway, as reported in the media."
The label further continued:
"As for the individual who previously impersonated a BTS member and leaked unreleased music, we have obtained evidence of additional crimes of artist impersonation. Additional criminal charges have been filed against the impersonator, leading to arrest and indictment. The trial is pending, awaiting the court’s verdict."
BIGHIT MUSIC also addressed taking action against individuals who spread malicious rumors against BTS members on Korean online forums. This further highlights the dating conjectures revolving around BTS' Taehyung and BLACKPINK's Jennie. The label said:
"After a lengthy police investigation, the identity of an individual who repeatedly posted false information and malicious defamatory comments on NatePann and Naver, totalling dozens of cases, has been ascertained. Although the suspect in question has proposed a settlement, we clearly made our stance to pursue legal accountability to the fullest extent without settling."
Meanwhile, similar notices were published by the agencies of the K-pop groups SEVENTEEN, NewJeans, Baekho, Hwang Min Hyun, fromis_9, TOMORROW x TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, and &TEAM. BIGHIT MUSIC stressed that such harmful rumors would not be tolerated and that they would be prosecuted in both civil and criminal courts.
In spite of certain criminals' suggested settlements, the agency is unwavering in its pursuit of complete legal responsibility. They have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the artists' integrity by identifying and pursuing those who have posted false information and defamatory content on multiple platforms.
However, the notice received mixed reactions from the fans on Twitter, as several of them questioned if BIGHIT MUSIC and HYBE Corporation actually carried out any legal actions against violators or if they only put out similar notices periodically. While several other fans lauded the company for taking stringent actions and bringing charges against the perpetrators.
A user, @purplykis, wrote on X,
"Not to rain on anyone’s parade but I see the same notice from Bighit almost every few months, and its not like they can sue hundreds or thousands of X accounts at the same time (esp if they are not Koreans) so as a fan we should still have to report/suspend those accs ourselves."
Every artist from HYBE provides an update on legal proceedings taken against artists' rights violations
All of the labels that represent the aforementioned artists have issued statements stating that a significant number of egregious commenters who exploit the shield of anonymity of social media platforms to spread false information, harass artists s**ually, and commit other offenses are facing criminal charges.
A serious punishment was also reportedly meted out to nefarious users who created postings on the internet, including charges of s**ual harassment and humiliation directed against members of LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans, including some members who are children. Meanwhile, a suspect found to have often posted harmful content regarding fromis_9 online reportedly received a fine of 3 million KRW, or roughly $2,300.
As evidenced by the prosecution of a person who pretended to be an artist on social media and leaked exclusive material, BIGHIT MUSIC actually gave fans the assurance that the agency will take legal action to stop bad actors from violating the rights of BTS members while they are away for obligatory military duty.
In conclusion, every label pledged to keep an eye on a range of social networking sites and online community portals in order to safeguard the creative rights of its artists and pursue harsh penalties for anybody discovered to have behaved maliciously.
