The latest news on BTS’s chart manipulation allegation has sparked much debate in various online communities.
On April 29, reports revealed through court records obtained by local media outlets, revealed accusations against BTS’s label, HYBE (formerly known as Big Hit Music), for using illicit marketing tactics that were explicitly acknowledged during the legal proceedings.
In 2017, A was sentenced to 1 year in prison when he was found guilty of extortion after threatening to release documents to the media regarding BTS’s alleged involvement in illegal marketing activities.
HYBE has consistently refuted accusations of chart manipulation through illicit marketing tactics. Nonetheless, the court has introduced conflicting evidence that challenges this denial.
According to court documents, the information Mr. A purported to divulge was linked to illicit marketing strategies orchestrated by HYBE. The records unveil that Mr. A assumed a false identity as a third-party individual who allegedly hacked into emails to obtain incriminating marketing data, subsequently leveraging it to intimidate the victims.
Korean netizens have been abuzz about this in various online communities and commented, “This is so embarrassing. I wish HYBE gets investigated,” “This is so crazy,” “This is the worst,” “I just wish…that it was Bang Si Hyuk who had made his decisions on his own without the BTS boys knowing… I still remember them being so surprised (about their success). That image is just ingrained in my mind…” “I think the label needs to release an official statement,” “So it’s always the bad guys who are always living well,” “I really hope BTS members didn’t know about this Sajaegi,” “This feels like all of Korea was scammed by HYBE,” and “The truth will be revealed.”
