KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — K-pop boy band BTS’ label HYBE will be investigated by the Korea Creative Content Agency (Kocca) for alleged chart-rigging practices.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism received petitions to investigate why the label paid blackmailers in 2017 after being accused online, reported Korea JoongAng Daily.
According to online posts, HYBE (then known as Big Hit Entertainment) was blackmailed by a person known as Lee and three accomplices for using ‘expedient marketing strategies’ to promote BTS’ 2015 album.
Lee was sentenced to a year in jail and the other three blackmailers were released with a fine.
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The court said that Lee had made a ‘sajaegi marketing deal’ with Big Hit Entertainment and used the information against them.
Sajaegi is a Korean term for bulk-buying or hoarding that leads to negative-effects.
Should this be true, another petition has been requested for the culture ministry to revoke the groups Order of Cultural Merit award given to them in 2018.
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Upon orders from the ministry of culture, Kocca will launch an investigation and seek an answer from HYBE.
On Thursday, Big Hit released a statement saying that it will report malicious posts against BTS and will watch online platforms to prevent their artist’s reputation being damaged.
BTS superfans known as ARMY have taken to social media to protest against the government’s investigation with the hashtag ‘South Korea apologise to BTS’.
The fans are denying the claims of chart-rigging, saying that the groups rose to the top of the charts through hard work and making good music.
The ARMY’s want BTS to be excluded from the ongoing controversies surrounding HYBE, saying ‘We support BTS, not HYBE’.
On May 3, fans sent wreaths and electronic sign boards displaying messages of protest outside HYBE’s headquarters in Seoul.
The K-pop music giant has denied the accusations from fans and has refused to say more.
The BTS members are currently undergoing mandatory military service and are expected to reunite next year.
