In the past few weeks, HYBE has been embroiled in multiple controversies, which have trickled down to multiple artists, including BTS. A few days ago, an old court case resurfaced rumors of “sajaegi marketing,” or illegal marketing, and netizens started demanding a probe into the marketing practices of BTS and other big K-Pop acts.
BTS | Weverse
While fans defended BTS against these allegations, the South Korean government is seemingly taking up the issue at the netizens’ demand. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is set to order an investigation into HYBE’s alleged chart-rigging practice, known as sajaegi, back in 2017.
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism | UNICEF
On May 5, KST, the ministry released a statement saying that it had received a petition demanding a probe into why HYBE was blackmailed for chart-rigging and paid the blackmailer off in 2017.
Meanwhile, fans are enraged at HYBE’s lack of public response to such allegations. Some Korean fans recently organized a protest to pressure the company into taking action. You can read more about it here.
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