June 29, 2024: In a firm stance against malicious activities, HYBE has issued a detailed statement addressing ongoing legal proceedings to protect their artists, including global sensations BTS, TXT, and SEVENTEEN. This announcement underscores HYBE’s commitment to safeguarding its artists from defamatory actions and false allegations.
As reported by Soompi, BigHit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE and the agency representing BTS, clarified recent controversies. “There is no connection between BTS and Body & Brain,” the statement emphasized, debunking persistent rumors. BigHit Music further asserted, “Rumors of surreptitious chart manipulation and unethical marketing are a product of fabrication and completely unconnected to the artist.”
Highlighting their proactive legal approach, a part of the statement read, “We have filed several complaints with the investigative agency… we want to clarify once again that there is no connection between BigHit Music and BTS and Body & Brain. Circulating rumors alleging the artist’s or the artist’s lyrics’ association with Body & Brain are fictitious. Upon discovering Body & Brain’s illegal use of BTS’s intellectual property rights, we promptly demanded the removal of the content in question and received a commitment to prevent any future occurrences.”
HYBE Takes Legal Action Against Malicious Actors Targeting BTS, TXT, SEVENTEEN
The agency elaborated on the legal steps being taken against those spreading false information and violating the privacy of their artists. “Apart from the authors of the malicious posts, we are taking separate legal action against those who violated the artist’s privacy. We are also pursuing civil and criminal cases against so-called ‘cyber wreckers’, including the YouTube channel ‘Sojang’.
An additional civil suit was filed earlier this year to seek damages for defamation and other illegal acts committed by ‘Sojang’ and is expected to go to trial soon. As for the previous complaints filed, multiple cases were forwarded to the prosecutor’s office, and the suspects are awaiting disposition. We will endeavour to make sure that the suspects are held accountable regardless of how long it may take.”
TXT’s agency also addressed similar issues, pointing out coordinated efforts to harm the group’s reputation. “Notably, we have identified activities centred around online communities indicating a coordinated effort to spread false information in order to undermine the achievement that TOMORROW X TOGETHER has built with their fans and harm the artist’s reputation. As such, they have been included in our complaints. In addition, we are taking legal action against malicious posts about the artist regardless of the channel, be it social networking platforms or online communities.”
BTS Agency HYBE statement to clear air on false news
In addition, TXT’s agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting their artists’ intellectual property rights. “Should similar issues arise in the future, we will take decisive legal action to uphold and protect the artists’ intellectual property rights in line with our principle.
Likewise, in February, we communicated a cease and desist request to Global Cyber University to stop the unauthorized use of BTS’ intellectual property rights. We also want to make clear that rumours of surreptitious chart manipulation and unethical marketing are a product of fabrication and completely unconnected to the artist.”
Further statements were issued by the agencies representing NewJeans, SEVENTEEN, Fromis 9, Hwang Minhyun, Baekho, TWS, and BoyNextDoor, all emphasizing their commitment to taking stringent legal action against any malicious activities aimed at their artists.
HYBE’s robust response highlights their unwavering support for their artists and a zero-tolerance policy towards defamation and privacy violations. This proactive approach sets a precedent in the entertainment industry, reinforcing the importance of protecting intellectual property and maintaining the integrity of artists’ reputations.