Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology

Protest trucks and flower wreaths from outraged fans of K-pop group BTS have dominated the street in front of Hybe’s headquarters building in Yongsan, Seoul, amid an ongoing feud over the agency’s management system. The rage against the agency will likely continue, as an old allegation over chart manipulation surrounding the company has resurfaced.

According to local media, a petition demanding an investigation into allegations that Big Hit Music, the sublabel of K-pop powerhouse Hybe that manages BTS, manipulated music charts was submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on Thursday. The ministry plans to send the petition to its affiliated agency, the Korea Creative Content Agency, a KOCCA official told The Korea Herald on Monday.

The root of the allegation traces back to a trial in August 2017. According to court documents, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced a defendant, an official of a company that handled marketing duties for Big Hit Music, to one year in prison on charges of joint blackmailing.

The defendant sent a threat to Big Hit Music, saying they would leak evidence of illegal marketing materials of the agency's artists, and also lied to the victims -- officials from Big Hit Music -- pretending to have received a similar threat, and extorted 57 million won ($41,900) from them.

Pointing out that the verdict document included a statement "The victim engaged in marketing activities through improper means, providing grounds for coercion," the petitioner reportedly suggested that Big Hit Music may have actually engaged in inappropriate marketing activities.

At the time, Big Hit Music clarified that the “inappropriate marketing activities” mentioned in the defendant's threats were solely his unilateral claims. The agency also explained that the "marketing activities through improper means" referred to in the court document meant ordinary online viral marketing.

Meanwhile, amid renewed controversy and suspicions surrounding BTS, K-pop fans are posting protest messages on social media, claiming that South Korea and the group’s agency are failing to protect the artists from groundless aggression.

On X, formerly Twitter, the hashtag "South Korea Apologize to BTS" emerged as a trending keyword in the K-pop category on Sunday. Many fans are emphasizing BTS's significant contributions to promoting K-pop, urging the government and Hybe not to tarnish BTS's name.

The fans' anger has also been evident since last Friday in front of the Hybe headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where wreaths and protest trucks have been set up. The wreaths feature sharp messages such as "Incessant owner risk, wishing for BTS to leave Hybe" and "The incompetent agency ranked number one in the industry." Alongside the wreaths, a truck bearing the slogan "Condemning the incompetent executive hiding behind the BTS shield" joined the protest.

"Hybe is doing nothing to protect its artists. I cannot stand that BTS has to face another ridiculous accusation even when all members are diligently fulfilling their military duties," said a Japanese fan who stopped by Hybe headquarters during her trip to Korea on Monday.

Before the rumor surrounding BTS, Hybe was confronting intense discord with its sublabel Ador and the alleged link between the company and a pseudo-religious group. Hybe denied all allegations through a press release, Sunday, and vowed to take strong legal action against people who spread malicious rumors involving the artists.