Of course, who wouldn’t be angry if your group keeps getting dragged into the mud thanks to their very own company, right?
On Friday, May 3, 2024, South Korean newspapers were filled with full-page advertisements paid by Korean ARMYs to rally in support of BTS amidst the ongoing feud with HYBE and ADOR. BTS’ fans also demanded that HYBE should act against all the “fake news and rumors” surrounding BTS at this time.
K Army protest statement published in K major newspapers (Mail Economy/Joongang Daily) this morning
""We express our strong condemnation of HYBE's passive stance despite BT5 suffering significant damage from spread of false news and rumors unrelated to the current situation amist… https://t.co/csogSt314Q pic.twitter.com/W1Z5blNXxx
— 🔑🗝Jiniya지니야_TheAstronaut👩🚀 (@Jiniya1204) May 3, 2024
5.3일자 신문에 게첨된 중앙일보 성명문의 실제 출력본을 공유합니다.
총 32면 중 15면에 게첨되었으며 온라인 신문 및 지류 신문을 통하여 확인해보실 수 있습니다.
매일경제신문 게첨 성명문은 내일 아침 8~9시 경 올려드리도록 하겠습니다. pic.twitter.com/xoyH4pfmMv— 근조화환 총공 계정 (@blessyouhybe) May 2, 2024
ARMY’s press release in Korea It demands #HYBE to stop using #BTS as a tool to control the media for the controversy. ARMY urges HYBE to release a statement about whether HYBE stands on the current issue (of cult involvements with #DahnWorld) ARMY stands against HYBE for BTS https://t.co/aT2rMFkrMX pic.twitter.com/IZ4pVBslO3
— Lynne Kim (@lkim901_kim) May 2, 2024
ARMY issued a statement in the form of a full-page advertisement to some newspapers in the name of "BTS's Fan Army" and demanded, "HYBE and Bighit Music should take responsible attitude for indiscriminate attacks and obscenities against BTS and clearly announce immediate legal… pic.twitter.com/xKiqylUAzl
— JK DAILYʲᵏ (@Daily_JKUpdate) May 3, 2024
(Full-page advertisement published in the South Korean daily newspaper Joognang Ilbo)
The statement is as reads:
“While management-related internal strife within HYBE is ongoing and BTS, which has nothing to do with the current situation, is suffering great damage from false news and rumors, we condemn HYBE, as an agency, for standing by and we demand the following:
HYBE’s Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and CEO Park Ji-won should stop the media play that uses BTS as a shield against the agency’s internal and external negative issues.
We strongly demand that HYBE’s BIGHIT MUSIC take responsibility for the indiscriminate attacks and slander against BTS and take immediate legal action and clearly notify of the progress.
We support BTS, not HYBE.
An agency that does not protect its artists has no reason to exist. Even though artist protection is the most basic obligation of an agency, BTS’ agency is not faithfully carrying out this obligation.
We undestand that failure to fulfill an agency’s obligations can usually be a factor in terminating the contract. Accordingly, we demand that the agency immediately fulfill its obligations.
This is where each and every fan who loves BTS gathers together. We would like to inform you that we have decided to run a statement advertisement like this to make our intentions known.
May 3, 2024
BTS fans, ARMY.”
In the statement, the authors holds HYBE Chairman and founder Bang Si-hyuk and CEO Park Ji-won accountable for using BTS as a “shield” to protect themselves from criticisms, as well as demanded for the executives to stop using BTS’ name in their media play.
Wreaths of flowers signed with messages ridiculing the HYBE management were also sent to the company’s headquarters on Thursday, May 2, 2024. In South Korea and in many parts of the world, wreaths of flowers are used as a way to express one’s condolences.
For protesters, on the other hand, these flowers are used to voice out their complaints to an organization or company, as a way to signal its death.
X user @blessyouhybe was the mind behind the letter, which was signed “BTS fans, ARMY” and the flower wreath deliveries. In an interview, the user said that over 500 BTS fans had accumulated a total of 31.4 million won to fund their protest project.
Another group of ARMYS who were totally unrelated to the organizing of the advertisement and flower wreaths had sent protest trucks to HYBE’s headquarters on Thursday.
K army truck statement says:
◾️We condemn the incompetent chairman who hides behind BT5 as a shield amid unfair internal management issues.
◾️BT5 is being used in the agency's PR media battles. What kind of agency is this? Yearning for an escape from Hybe.
◾️For the company… https://t.co/HZiQbwhAjy pic.twitter.com/eL7FFuwQje— 🔑🗝Jiniya지니야_TheAstronaut👩🚀 (@Jiniya1204) May 3, 2024
K-ARMY sending trucks with funeral wreaths infront of HYBE building with statement saying “ ARMY support BTS not hybe ! Do not use BTS as a shield and uske them! To take immediate legal actions for misinfo, calling out for pack of responsibility! ” Seriously love K-ARMY. pic.twitter.com/aZARNC20Qr
— Yoongichokeme⛓️ (@for7angels) May 4, 2024
The protests have caused the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to investigate HYBE for the alleged “sajaegi.”
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