The spotlight has once again been placed on K-Pop sensation BTS due to recent developments, as previous accusations of “chart manipulation”and “illegal marketing”resurface.
The dispute arises from a previous legal conflict involving BIGHIT MUSIC, the management company of BTS, and an individual referred to as “Mr. A.”This has raised doubts about the group’s chart rankings and promotional tactics.
Understanding Extortion and Suspicion in a Legal Context
The saga initiated in August 2017 when Mr. A was found guilty of jointly extorting payment by threatening to expose information about alleged illegal marketing.
Despite denials from BIGHIT MUSIC, suspicions were raised about BTS’s potential involvement in illegal marketing practices, such as chart manipulation.
“The marketing activities mentioned in the criminal’s threats of extortion were merely his own assertions, and what he referred to as unconventional marketing was actually standard online viral marketing. Mr. A’s claims have no connection to the advertising and promotional contracts he had with our company. The financial damages were inadvertently incurred during personal attempts to protect the artist’s image.
As the victims of the threats, we immediately reported it and actively participated in the investigative proceedings. The result was that if it becomes common for the media to damage a company’s image by reporting as facts the unilateral claims of corporate misconduct during such extortion cases, no entertainment company will be able to stand up proudly against such threats in the future.”
– BIGHIT MUSIC
BIGHIT MUSIC has continuously refuted any wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations made by Mr. A were unfounded.
This account is still jobless and defaming bts. Mhj must be paying a huge sum of money!!Keep reporting and emailing bighit https://t.co/GbkeoeNdhB pic.twitter.com/UwwL3YmNy3
– (@berealinlife7) April 29, 2024
They argue that the financial losses suffered were not a result of illegal marketing tactics, but rather an unintended consequence of their efforts to safeguard the artist’s reputation.
Contradictory Evidence: Court Notes Discrepancies
Despite recent revelations, the overall picture remains unchanged.
star focus trending at #2 💀 guess the new method of viral marketing is making illegal bts goods and let bighit sue you so your company can go viral on social networks pic.twitter.com/tLzU7H9wtv
— rin7 ⛱ (@ktaebwi_613) January 5,
The court emphasized evidence suggesting that Mr. A and his accomplices gathered information on illicit marketing activities carried out by BTS’s agency, casting doubt on the credibility of BIGHIT MUSIC’s statements.
BTS illegal marketing pic.twitter.com/PSOA9icKC4
— Maggy Kao (@KaoMaggy) May 3, 2021
Attorney No Jong Eun acknowledged the court’s recognition of “illegal marketing”and emphasized the importance of distinguishing between lawful viral marketing and the alleged illicit practices in this case.
The ‘illegal marketing’ referred to in this case means ‘sajaegi marketing,’ and the court recognized this fact in its judgment. To refer to ‘sajaegi’ as viral marketing is no different from calling illegal practices legal. There is no legal precedent for criminal punishment of sajaegi marketing, but the judgment in Mr. A’s case clearly indicates that it was present. – No Jong Eun
Response and Fallout: HYBE Announces Legal Actions
In light of the accusations, HYBE, the parent company of BTS, has declared its intention to take legal measures.
BIGHIT MUSIC continues to stand against any organized efforts to harm the group’s reputation, as they believe them to be.
Despite facing accusations of chart manipulation and illegal marketing, BTS’s rise to fame in the K-Pop industry is being questioned for its integrity.
idk the context behind this but as a business student I agree, dont support illegal transactions who profit off someone’s brand image without the legal license, that includes all those businesses who are using bts’s name for their marketing campaign https://t.co/726ImGQE8p
— lenny⁷ is ia (@BTSpopFM) December 30, 2021
Was BTS’s “music chart manipulation”a fact? The court explicitly stated “illegal marketing”.Regarding the past controversy of BTS and the suspicion of music chart manipulation, their agency, Big Hit Music, stated that “the ‘inappropriate marketing’ is just a unilateral claim.”pic.twitter.com/JLYXxh3cBV
— hamzzotto (@great_hamzzi) April 29, 2024
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the future of the world-renowned boy group remains uncertain.
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