"No settlement, no leniency" ... BTS harassers and stalker sentenced to prison terms

BTS. Photo | HYBE Big Hit Music, the agency of BTS, said it would take a hard-line approach to malicious posts and stalking crimes. On the 29th, Big Hit Music said on the fan community Weverse, "We are continuously pursuing legal action against criminal acts such as defamation, insult, sexual harassment, and malicious slander that infringe on BTS's rights and interests." It added, "As of the second quarter of 2026, we are providing an update on our major legal actions." First, it said that "a person who repeatedly posted baseless false claims about the artist on online communities was found guilty of insult and defamation by false statement, and received a suspended prosecution disposition on the condition of completing an educational program." It also said, "We have filed complaints against those who posted malicious content related to BTS on domestic communities, music sites, and overseas social media channels, and we are also carrying out additional ongoing complaint procedures beyond our regular filings." The agency stated, "We will track down malicious hate speech and organized fake news that try to evade punishment behind anonymity, and we will hold those responsible legally without exception." It added, "For all acts that cause mental suffering to the artist, we will take the strongest possible legal measures without any settlement or leniency." It also mentioned the case of a Brazilian woman who repeatedly visited Jungkook's home, stalked him, and unlawfully entered his residence, and who was sentenced by the court to a suspended prison term. The agency emphasized, "We maintain a zero-tolerance policy with no leniency for malicious actors targeting our artists, and this applies equally to both Koreans and foreigners." It added, "We will continue to respond firmly to all unlawful approaches, including immediate police reports." Finally, it added, "We will continue to implement artist protection measures and respond even more proactively." We are continuously pursuing legal action against criminal acts such as defamation, insult, sexual harassment, and malicious slander that infringe on BTS's rights and interests. As of the second quarter of 2026, we are providing an update on our major legal actions. 1. Comprehensive monitoring and a zero-tolerance policy for malicious posts Through valuable reports from fans and our own monitoring system, we are collecting evidence in real time of malicious posts about the artist on major communities. Based on this, a person who repeatedly posted baseless false claims online in order to defame the artist was found guilty of insult and defamation by false statement, and received a suspended prosecution disposition on the condition of completing an educational program. This quarter, we also filed complaints against those who posted malicious content related to BTS on domestic communities [theqoo, Naver, Daum (Women’s Era, Jjukbbang, Souldresser, etc.), Nate, Dmitory, DC Inside's BTS, male celebrity, and domestic entertainment galleries, as well as many other galleries, Ilbe Storehouse (Ilbe), FMKorea, etc.], music sites (Melon, Bugs Music, Genie Music, etc.), and overseas social media channels (Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube, Telegram, etc.). We would like to inform you that we are also carrying out additional ongoing complaint procedures beyond our regular filings. In particular, we are tracking down malicious hate speech and organized fake news that try to hide behind anonymity and evade punishment, and we are holding those responsible legally without exception. We are also monitoring and responding to the leakage and distribution of unreleased content. Even when a post is deleted after being written in an attempt to erase traces, it is included in complaints without exception based on our real-time evidence collection system. For all acts that cause mental suffering to the artist, we will take the strongest possible legal measures without any settlement or leniency. 2. Guilty verdicts in cases of trespassing at the artist's residence and stalking crimes Regarding crimes that violated the artist's privacy and caused great concern among fans, we are sharing the court ruling in the case announced last quarter, involving violations of the Stalking Punishment Act and trespassing charges. For the defendant who entered the artist's residence and repeatedly committed stalking acts, an arrest warrant was issued. The defendant was held in a detention center for about three months while facing criminal trial, and the court recognized the seriousness of the offense and sentenced the defendant to one year in prison, suspended for two years. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy with no leniency for malicious actors targeting our artists, and this applies equally to both Koreans and foreigners. If a foreign national is criminally punished for trespassing and stalking, that person may be forcibly deported to their home country and banned from entering the Republic of Korea. Loitering around the artist's residence, watching and waiting, or leaving gifts unilaterally are not simple expressions of interest, but clear crimes. We will continue to respond firmly to all unlawful approaches, including immediate police reports, even when they are justified as a way to express personal feelings toward the artist. Our legal action begins with the active reports of fans who support a mature fan culture. If you discover any unlawful acts that infringe on the artist's rights and interests, please report them through the "HYBE Artist Rights Violation Report Website" (https://protect.hybecorp.com). We sincerely thank you for your unwavering love for BTS. We will continue to implement artist protection measures and respond even more proactively. Thank you. Big Hit Music