On June 18, the management company HYBE, which oversees popular groups such as BTS, SEVENTEEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans, announced that they have taken legal action against individuals involved in the illegal trading of artists’ flight ticket information on the internet. The suspects have been handed over to the prosecution.
To combat the illegal trading of artists’ flight ticket information, HYBE established a reconnaissance team last year. This team identified several SNS accounts involved in online trading of artists’ flight ticket information, gathered evidence to confirm the account holders’ identities, and handed it over to the police. With the information provided by HYBE, the police conducted extensive searches domestically and internationally, confirming suspicions of illegal activities by some individuals and transferring the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
It was revealed that the suspects engaged in illegal buying and selling of artists’ flight ticket information through chats and private messages on SNS, making millions to billions of Korean won in profits.
The illicit trading of this information allowed certain individuals to have advance knowledge of artists’ seat information, attempting to get close to and track the artists after boarding the same flight. Moreover, the police discovered that they had been arbitrarily changing artists’ seats, in-flight meals, and canceling reservations, impacting the artists’ activities and the operations of the management company.
In response, HYBE stated, “The illegal acquisition and selling or purchasing of artists’ flight ticket information pose a threat to the artists’ personal safety. This is not only a crime that causes anxiety among people but also a serious issue that could lead to incidents at airports and on planes. We will adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards the criminal act of commercializing and trading artists’ personal information, refusing to accept any settlement and will rigorously pursue and take strict actions against those responsible.”
Furthermore, to prevent further leakage of flight ticket information and artists’ personal details, HYBE has examined relevant procedures and systems and sought assistance from airlines and travel agencies.