On May 5 at 9 a.m., 30 funeral wreaths were placed on the sidewalk in front of HYBE headquarters’ main entrance in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The wreaths read, “In times of necessity, they are ‘BTS,’ but when the company faces unfavorable facts, the group is utilized as a ‘bulletproof,’” “Do not ever use BTS for executives fight over the turf war,” and “You guys are frothing at the mouth over the damage to the company, but why keeping silent for vicious rumors over BTS?” These wreaths were placed by BTS fans starting in May. 3 to protest against HYBE following rumors linking the idol group BTS to a cult.
“Despite HYBE’s announcement of plans to take legal action against malicious rumors targeting BTS, such as those regarding cult allegations and inflating album sales through bulk purchases, there has been no progress. This lack of clarity has led fans to question the trustworthiness of the agency,” said A (19), who led the rally.
Funding for the wreaths came from BTS fans, with over 600 participants contributing through social media fundraising efforts. Approximately 30 million won (about $22,091) was raised, covering the flower cost and hiring six security guards to ensure their safe removal in potential conflicts. These guards were present around the wreaths.
This marks the first time BTS fans have organized this kind of rally against HYBE, contrasting with their previously sending protest trucks. A stated, “We believe that an agency failing to protect its artists is no better than death (non-existing) of artists’ home, and we chose the funeral wreath as an effective means to convey this message.” The rally will last until May. 7., with the potential for further rallies if the company remains inactive.
The rally was prompted by a dispute between HYBE and Min Hee-jin, CEO of ADOR, which sparked allegations of HYBE’s association with certain cults. Fans attributed the BTS agency’s failure to address these allegations to the proliferation of rumors implicating BTS in cult-related matters.
