HYBE Takes Legal Action Against Malicious Attacks On Behalf Of Artists BTS, TXT, SEVENTEEN, NU'EST, And ENHYPEN

If you follow all of HYBE‘s artists on the Weverse app, you’re probably used to lots of notifications. Today, its multiple subsidiaries, such as BIGHIT MUSIC, PLEDIS Entertainment, and BELIFT LAB, notified those following their artists.

The subsidiaries issued statements regarding malicious attacks against artists, BTS, TXT, ENHYPEN, SEVENTEEN, and NU’EST. They are updating on the course of their legal actions regarding such issues.

Our company regularly initiates legal proceedings against perpetrators of malicious activities … including defamation, personal attacks, sexual harassment, the spread of groundless information, and ill-intentioned criticism. We would like to provide an update on these activities.

⁠— BIGHIT MUSIC

HYBE’s subsidiaries have all continued to take serious action against malicious comments made on YouTube and public internet forums, such as DC Inside and Daum Cafe.

We have recently filed additional criminal complaints using new information provided by fans as well as collected through our monitoring initiatives. Our company initiates strong legal action against personal attacks and the spread of groundless information … We are taking every action possible, civil, or criminal, especially against YouTube and DC Inside accounts who repeatedly engage in such activities.

⁠— BIGHIT MUSIC

While many netizens believe that they have no consequences for their actions due to anonymity on the internet, still HYBE has been able to track down even those accounts due to data collection.

We have also brought legal complaints against anonymous perpetrators who have engaged in such activities without the use of their real names or nicknames and filed criminal complaints against those who have been periodically changing their nicknames and their respective accounts by collecting data on the nicknames used, and the posts they uploaded through constant and real-time monitoring. We have taken additional legal action against perpetrators who have continued to engage in malicious activities without remorse even while undergoing investigation for their criminal activities.

⁠— BIGHIT MUSIC

More civil suits are being filed against those previously convicted of criminal charges. BIGHIT MUSIC spoke specifically of BTS, saying that recently a ruling was finalized in which they ordered ₩9.00 million KRW (about $7,570 USD) in damages.

Additional civil suits for damages were filed against those who were convicted of criminal charges. Recently, a lawsuit for damages filed against those who were sentenced to criminal fines was ruled in favor of the company, and the ruling was finalized with a total of 9 million won ordered in damages. We will ensure that the damages are compensated in full to send a clear message that those who engage in criminal activities will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law – both criminal and civil – and that they will bear the heavy responsibility of their actions. We will continue to initiate stitch messages to ensure that these malicious acts are not repeated, and our policy of no settlement and no leniency remains in effect.

⁠— BIGHIT MUSIC

The subsidiaries request that fans continue to report any cases of abuse by contacting their respective hotlines as they continually collect information of malicious postings regarding the company artists.

Recently, BTS’s V responded to a post about a YouTuber who has been spreading malicious rumors of various K-Pop artists online. He reassured fans that he was okay but would sue on behalf of K-Pop artists.

Oh?!! I will proceed with a lawsuit. I guess I can earn some snack money with this. Even mentioning my family and friends~ See ya!

⁠— BTS’s V

I just skimmed through and all artists, not just us, do not like people like that. All fans and ARMYs may or may not have monitored this person, but I will sue on behalf all the those who got hurt or did not have the courage to do so.

⁠— BTS’s V

You can read all of the company statements regarding specific artists BTS, TXT, ENHYPEN, SEVENTEEN, AND NU’EST below: