HYBE has revealed that they have filed a complaint with the police against individuals who illegally obtained and traded HYBE artists’ flight information. As reported by SoompiThe South Korean police recently decided to hand over the case to the prosecution after completing their investigation. (Also Read | HYBE faces criticism for uninspired BTS Festa 2024 merchandise, fans express disappointment over low-effort designs)
HYBE took legal action against these people
The statement said, “Hello, this is HYBE. We would like to inform you about the legal steps we have taken against those who illegally obtained and sold HYBE LABELS artists’ flight ticket information, following several months of close cooperation with investigating authorities since the second half of last year.”
Why did HYBE make this move?
HYBE said that some people are engaging in “stalking behavior.” The statement further reads, “Selling or buying artists’ illegally obtained flight information is obviously an illegal act that endangers their safety and raises concerns. Nevertheless, the number of individuals viewing artists’ illegally obtained seat information or secretly taking photos while traveling on the same plane has increased. Some people even engage in stalking behavior, using this information to repeatedly contact and approach artists. There have been several cases where some people have gone as far as arbitrarily changing artists’ seats and in-flight meals or canceling their flight reservations, thereby disrupting their schedules.”
HYBE has started working on it in 2023
The label said it began taking action against these violators since last year. “We have come to the conclusion that these actions are a serious issue that go far beyond privacy violations, potentially threatening the safety of artists and causing security incidents at airports and on planes. To address this, since September last year, we have established a special task force dedicated to protecting our artists from the illegal trading of flight ticket information and eliminating illegal sales activities,” it added.
These people allegedly swindled “millions of won”
According to HYBE, the suspects are accused of “making profits ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of won by selling artists’ flight ticket information.” The statement further states, “Before taking legal action for personal information violations, we identified several social media accounts that were illegally selling our artists’ flight information online and gathered evidence to identify the operators. We filed complaints against these accounts for violating the Personal Information Protection Act, among other regulations, and actively cooperated with investigating agencies.”
It also added, “Based on the evidence presented, the investigating agencies conducted a long-term investigation domestically and overseas. In May, they identified the suspects, suspected to be foreigners, and conducted additional detailed investigations. The suspects are accused of making profits ranging from hundreds of millions to hundreds of millions of won by selling the flight ticket information of artists through social media channels over a long period of time.”
What steps will HYBE take?
Apart from taking legal action, HYBE has also sought cooperation from airlines and travel agents. It said, “HYBE also plans to actively cooperate with the investigating authorities for further investigation and future judicial proceedings. In addition, we are committed to holding perpetrators accountable to the end, adhering to a zero-tolerance policy, and strictly responding to acts of crime that commercialize and trade personal information of performers without entering into any agreements or making favorable arrangements.”
“Additionally, to protect the privacy of artists and prevent further leaks, we have reviewed relevant processes and systems, and sought cooperation from airlines and travel agents. We will continue to work closely with various organizations to ensure the privacy of our artists. Thank you,” the statement said.
