South Korean govt to order investigation on BTS chart-rigging scandal: Report

The South Korean government will reportedly order an investigation into the alleged chart-rigging practice (sajaegi) of BTS' agency HYBE. As per Korea JoongAng Daily, South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on Saturday that it received a petition to investigate why HYBE was blackmailed for chart rigging practices and paid off the blackmailers in 2017. (Also Read | BTS agency to take legal actions against those who ‘ridicule artists, spread rumours’; warns of ‘zero-tolerance policy’)

What do the petitions say

According to the report, the case will be handed over to the state-run institution in charge of all genres of popular culture in Korea, Korea Creative Content Agency (Kocca). It will investigate and demand an answer from HYBE. In another petition, the culture ministry was requested that the Order of Cultural Merit be revoked from BTS if the allegation is proven true. The honour was earlier given by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

What happened in 2017

Several posts emerged online recently, sharing that in 2017, HYBE was blackmailed by a person, Lee, and three accomplices for allegedly using “expedient marketing strategies” while promoting BTS’ album in 2015. A court had sentenced Lee to a year in prison, and the three others were let off with a fine. The term “sajaegi marketing” was mentioned in the ruling and the court said that Lee had made a “sajaegi marketing deal” with BigHit Entertainment and threatened the company based on that account.

BigHit Music's statement on legal proceedings against violation of BTS' rights

This comes days after BigHit Music released a statement talking about legal proceedings against the violation of BTS' rights. On Weverse, the agency said that "organisational efforts aimed at tarnishing and slandering the artists have escalated in recent weeks". It also added that "malicious attempts to defame, humiliate and ridicule the artists or spread rumours and groundless information have become excessive".

About BTS

BTS, which debuted in 2013, consists of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. They made their debut with the single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, followed by Dark & Wild and Wake Up in 2014. This was followed by Wings (2016), Love Yourself: Tear (2018), and Map of the Soul: 7 (2020). Currently, all the members are serving in the military.