On May 3rd, a group of ARMY members published a lengthy statement in a daily newspaper through the advertisement section. The statement condemned HYBE, the agency of BTS, for not taking any action during their internal dispute over management. The ARMY expressed their concern for BTS, who is being affected by false news and rumors despite not being involved in the situation. As a result, they made a few requests in their statement.
It was expressed that HYBE’s Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and CEO Park Ji-won should cease using BTS as a means to deflect negative publicity for the company in both Korea and abroad. It is urged that HYBE’s label Big Hit Music take swift and responsible action to address any baseless attacks on BTS made with malicious intent, and provide updates on any legal measures taken.
The group reiterated their stance, stating, “Our support lies with BTS, not HYBE.”They emphasized that an agency’s primary responsibility is to protect its artists, and BTS’s agency is not fulfilling this duty adequately. They further stated that this failure to fulfill obligations could potentially be a breach of contract. As a result, they demand the agency to promptly comply with its obligations.
“As previously stated, we want to inform you that this statement has been issued by a group of individual BTS fans who have united to share our intentions.”
On the same day, some ARMYs also showed their support by sending condolence wreaths with messages such as, “Congratulations to the incompetent agency, the worst in the industry”, “Our BTS always comes through, even when facing challenges”, “We hope the owner will not find peace, and we wish for BTS to break away from HYBE”, to HYBE’s office building in Yongsan District, Seoul.
Protest trucks were also dispatched to the building, bearing messages such as “We denounce the Chairperson’s ineptitude in seeking refuge behind BTS while ignoring internal management issues,””We urge BTS, who is taking the brunt, to part ways with HYBE,”and “HYBE remains silent on artist rumors while using 5G to address company controversies.”Notably, fans of BTS member Jimin expressed disappointment in HYBE’s support and organized a three-day truck protest on the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th of this month, urging the company to protect the artist.
In the meantime, a dispute erupted between HYBE and its subsidiary label ADOR, leading to BTS being unexpectedly embroiled in multiple controversies surrounding viral marketing in 2017, accusations of concept plagiarism, and their connection to Dahnworld.
On April 28th, Big Hit Music announced their strict stance on taking legal action against any false rumors and malicious posts. Currently, all seven members of BTS are fulfilling their military service. The oldest member, Jin, is scheduled to complete his service on the 12th of next month. Last September, BTS signed a contract renewal with HYBE and plans to reunite for group activities in 2025.
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