A past legal battle has once again linked K-Pop giants BTS to chart manipulation allegations. Although BIGHIT MUSIC has consistently denied these claims … Recent judicial statements and media reports have explicitly labelled the incident as “chart manipulation,” “illegal marketing,” and “sajaegi marketing.”
Court’s Verdict: Clear References to Illegal Marketing
In 2017, a court sentenced Mr A to a year in prison for extortion. He had threatened to expose alleged illegal marketing unless he received money.
This situation led to him extorting 57 million won from BIGHIT MUSIC over several occasions. BIGHIT MUSIC argues that the marketing practices mentioned were just aggressive online strategies. However, the court identified them as illegal activities.
The court also found that Mr A and his associates had falsely claimed to possess hacked marketing data to support their extortion.
Legal Perspective: The Seriousness of ‘Sajaegi Marketing’ Explained
Sajaegi, Korean for “bulk buying,” typically refers to acquiring large quantities at a discounted price. In the South Korean music industry, sajaegi manipulates charts through unethical means.
This might involve agencies buying massive quantities of their own CDs or, more commonly today, using bots and computer farms to inflate streaming numbers and climb the charts. These scandals plague the Korean music industry, casting doubt on online charts, agencies, and even some fan practices.
Attorney No Jong-Eun from Law Firm JoonJae provided insights into the court’s acknowledgement of ‘sajaegi marketing.’
He confirmed that the court recognized these activities as illegal, marking a distinction from permissible viral marketing tactics. This legal interpretation underscores the gravity of such unethical practices in the music industry.
This case clarifies the legal boundaries of marketing within the entertainment industry. It sets a precedent for handling similar issues in the future. The court’s acknowledgement of illegal marketing practices has significant implications for BIGHIT MUSIC.
The allegations linking BTS to chart manipulation is once again in the news and fans are rightfully concerned.
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