Recently, HYBE has been accused of cult association, with BTS‘s name mentioned in the accusations.
On May 2, BIGHIT MUSIC issued an official statement addressing those and other recent allegations. The following is the statement issued in English.
“Hello.
This is BIGHIT MUSIC.
We wish to update you on the status of legal measures taken to protect BTS members against violation of their rights.
We would like to clarify that the recent allegations of hoarding, concept plagiarism, and affiliations with Dahnworld or any religious cults are completely false.
The company has decided that the recent movement spreading false rumors and information has become excessive, and announced previously that a separate law firm would be engaged to address these matters decisively.
Thus, we have identified and compiled several posts containing misinformation aimed at defaming and slandering the artists, and filed the initial round of criminal complaint to law enforcement agencies today, on May 2. This compilation includes posts that were systematically uploaded then deleted, as well as posts from authors who have since deleted their accounts. We will persist in our legal proceedings through continuous monitoring and gathering of evidence.
We uphold a zero-tolerance policy for filing civic and criminal complaints against individuals who attempt to tarnish the reputation of our artists by spreading malicious falsehoods. We will offer no leniency or settlements, ensuring that offenders are appropriately punished without exception.
We extend our deepest apologies to the fans of BTS for the distress you have experienced in recent weeks. We are committed to taking all necessary actions to protect our artists’ rights. Thank you for your unwavering love and support for BTS. Please send any reports of aforementioned cases of violation to BIGHIT MUSIC’s legal hotline at protect@bighitmusic.co.kr.
Thank you.”
– BIGHIT MUSIC
Meanwhile, Dahn World, the cult in question, has also denied the allegations.