Online Attack On BTS: Big Hit Files Fresh Complaints Against 'Malicious' Commentators

BTS' agency has released an update about the legal actions and proceedings taken against some online communities that have been targeting the "Dynamite" hitmakers.

Big Hit Music said they are taking criminal proceedings against DC Inside after noticing some malicious posts about BTS on the community platform. "We have recently filed additional criminal complaints using new information provided by fans as well as collected through our monitoring initiatives," the agency said in a statement posted on their Weverse fan community Tuesday.

Weverse is a web platform and application created by Big Hit Entertainment to enable artists to connect with their fans and also to host multimedia content.

The company first came across the issue in December when BTS fans alerted them about some online users posting malicious comments about the band. Big Hit Music at the time said they will monitor these accounts. They had also mentioned that strict measures will be initiated to ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted under the law.

The statement, shared by Soompi, reads as follows:

"Our company regularly initiates legal proceedings against perpetrators of malicious activities related to BTS, including ill-intentioned criticism, the spread of groundless information, sexual harassment, personal attacks, and defamation. We would like to provide an update on these activities.

We have recently filed additional criminal complaints using new information provided by fans as well as collected through our monitoring initiatives.

This latest group of perpetrators include certain non-member users of the internet community DC Inside. For an extended period of time, we have been collecting evidence of repeated malicious postings being created in certain DC Inside “galleries” (message boards) by non-member accounts; we have provided law enforcement officials with the login information associated with these postings. We have confirmed that even if posting histories are erased or accounts deleted after making malicious postings, sufficient network information remains to enable criminal investigations to proceed; such actions therefore may be subject to criminal proceedings.

Our continued legal responses have resulted in fines levied against perpetrators found guilty, and we are continuing to bring civil suits against these perpetrators. We will continue to initiate strict measures to ensure that perpetrators who engage in these malicious acts are prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and our policy of no settlement and no leniency remains in effect."

Big Hit said they regularly collect information about malicious posts regarding BTS and report them to the authorities. The agency has also requested online users to use their hotline (protect@bighitcorp.com) to report any cases of abuse, adding that they will continue to ensure that the rights of their artists are protected.