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HYBE’s legal crises have intensified with the ongoing dispute over the authority of ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin. Adding fuel to the controversy, the Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) has initiated an investigation into allegations of ‘Sajaegi,’ or chart manipulation, involving BTS.
For those unfamiliar, Sajaegi is the illegal practice of manipulating music charts. Although BTS was cleared of such accusations after addressing them in 2017, these claims have resurfaced, prompting calls for a thorough investigation. The initial allegations emerged in 2017 following a blackmail incident. Despite BTS’s proven innocence at the time, the issue continues to persist.
#BTS‘s fan club #ARMY began an online protest against the Korean government with the hashtag “South Korea apologize to BTS” after news broke that the culture ministry ordered an investigation into the alleged #sajaegi case by #HYBE back in 2017. https://t.co/x0p4eFmWM8
— The Korea JoongAng Daily (@JoongAngDaily) May 5, 2024
i don’t want any of the new armys to have even a speck of doubt regarding bts’ success & growth. their stats & chart numbers always matched the real time fan engagements they got. both online & offline. the sajaegi allegations were debunked years ago. both legally & publicly. pic.twitter.com/W5L8aEGulC
— lala⁷ 🍉 ʳᵖʷᵖ (@fkubluehouse) May 5, 2024
PEOPLE BE ACCUSING BTS OF “SAJAEGI” WHEN IT’S ALL BTS AND ARMYS’ HARDWORK AND ENTHUSIASM THAT MADE THEM GAIN ALL THOSE AWARDS. CHART MANIPULATION?! FUCK WE WERE FUCKING CHARTING THEM!! AWARDS BUYING? WE WERE HARDLY VOTING FOR THEM!! IT’S ON US NOT THOSE FUCKING PAYOLAS pic.twitter.com/01h57bdSCq
— BT.S. ★ ⁷ (@tsmoonchild13) May 6, 2024
On May 21, it was reported that KOCCA, under the Ministry of Culture, received a formal complaint regarding BTS and accusations of manipulating music charts dating back to 2017. HYBE has consistently denied these allegations. Initially, the complaints were directed to the Ministry of Culture but were later transferred to KOCCA, according to Korean media reports.
Reports indicate that the investigation team is preparing to contact HYBE to scrutinize the allegations. This development has triggered a strong backlash among K-netizens, many of whom believe the claims are baseless and see them as an attempt to tarnish BTS’s achievements and image because of their unending success. Despite the mixed public reaction, recent updates confirm that the investigation is underway. There is an ongoing inquiry into the 2017 chart manipulation allegations involving BTS’s label.
Additionally, KOCCA may seek assistance from judicial authorities or investigators if necessary. According to Sports Kyunghyang, KOCCA might also request data from music streaming services which will be directly helpful. The results of the investigation will be reviewed by a committee and then forwarded to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
An industry insider commented, “The term ‘music chart manipulation’ itself is misleading. Whether it’s physical albums or digital music, this is clearly ‘music chart manipulation.’ Whether KOCCA and its subordinate agencies will conduct a proper investigation remains questionable, given their close ties with music streaming platforms.”
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