ARMYs released a statement in the news and deployed protest trucks to oppose HYBE's use of BTS as a shield | K-pop Movie News - Times of India

→ Оригинал (без защиты от корпорастов) | Изображения из статьи: [1]

A group of dedicated fans of

BTS

, known as ARMY, took an unprecedented step by publishing an extensive

statement

in a daily newspaper's advertisement section. In their statement, they expressed grave concerns over the ongoing internal dispute at HYBE, the management agency representing the globally renowned group BTS. The fans condemned

HYBE

for their perceived inaction and failure to address the false news and rumors that have been circulating, causing significant damage to BTS, who they assert are uninvolved in the current situation.

Accompanying their criticism, the

ARMY

put forth a set of requests directed at the agency, imploring them to take decisive action to protect the interests and reputation of the beloved music act.

According to Kbizoom, ARMYs stated, "HYBE's Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and CEO Park Ji-won should stop their media play putting BTS in the front as a shield against the negative issues of the company in Korea and overseas. We strongly demand HYBE's label Big Hit Music deal with reckless attacks on BTS for malicious intentions in a responsible manner and immediately take legal action and announce the progress. We support BTS, not HYBE", adding "There's no reason for an agency that fails to protect its artists to exist. Although protecting the artists is the most basic duty of an agency, BTS's agency is not fulfilling faithfully. We believe that the agency's failure to fulfill its obligations can be considered a factor in breach of contract. Therefore, we demand the agency's immediate compliance with the obligations. As mentioned above, we would like to inform you that individual fans who love BTS have come together to spread our intentions by issuing this statement."

Their statement came after some fans escalated their protests earlier in the day by sending condolence wreaths to HYBE's office building in Seoul's Yongsan District. The wreaths carried scathing messages that condemned the agency's alleged incompetence and mistreatment of BTS. The messages included harsh criticism, labeling HYBE as the "worst agency in the industry," reportedly accusing them of exploiting BTS when convenient while abandoning them during times of adversity. Some messages even expressed a desire for BTS to part ways with HYBE, hoping that the group would find peace away from the agency's alleged mismanagement. According to Kbizoom,

protest trucks

arrived at the building carrying signs condemning the Chairman for using BTS's fame to shield internal issues and urging the band to sever ties with HYBE. Fans of Jimin expressed disappointment with HYBE's support, organizing truck protests to demand better protection for the artist. The protests are scheduled for the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th of this month.

In the midst of tensions between HYBE and label ADOR, BTS faced controversies spanning viral marketing claims, concept plagiarism, and connections to Dahnworld. On April 28th, Big Hit Music issued a strong warning against spreading malicious rumors. Currently, all seven members are serving in the military, with Jin's discharge scheduled for next month's 12th. Despite these challenges, BTS reaffirmed their commitment to HYBE with a contract renewal last September, with plans for a group comeback in 2025.