First hearing held in BTS V and Jungkook's lawsuit against defamatory YouTube channel

AKP STAFF

BTS Members V and Jungkook’s legal battle against ‘Taldeok Camp’ operator a: first trial hearing takes place today.

The first hearing in the 90 million KRW (approximately 68,000 USD) damages lawsuit filed by BTS members V and Jungkook against the operator of the YouTube channel ‘Taldeok Camp’ is set to take place today, August 23 KST.

Presiding Judge Kwan Hyeong Lee of the Seoul Western District Court’s Civil Division 12 will hold the first hearing at 10:10 AM. The lawsuit, filed by BigHit Music, the agency representing BTS, is based on claims of defamation and other damages caused by A’s actions.

In March, BTS members V and Jungkook filed the lawsuit, demanding 90 million KRW in damages from A. BigHit Music confirmed on the 16th that they had indeed proceeded with the lawsuit.

Previously, on June 28 KST, BigHit Music announced, “We filed a criminal complaint against ‘Deduction Asylum’ in 2022 for defamation and obstruction of business, but the investigation was temporarily halted. However, we actively requested that the investigation be resumed after securing the personal information of the operator, leading to the current ongoing investigation. Earlier this year, we also filed a civil lawsuit for defamation and other illegal activities, and a trial is forthcoming.”

‘Taldeok Camp' is a notorious cyber ‘wreck car’ (a term used to describe YouTubers who create and spread sensational content for views) that, over several months in 2021, produced and disseminated videos spreading baseless rumors about BTS members.

On December 29 KST, 2021, BTS’s agency filed additional lawsuits against netizens who had posted defamatory, insulting, sexually harassing, false, and malicious content about BTS. They stated, “We are taking strong legal action against those who attack our artists’ character and spread malicious rumors without any basis. We are taking all possible legal measures, both criminal and civil, against those who repeatedly engage in such behavior on platforms like YouTube.”

The agency further emphasized, “We will pursue compensation to the fullest extent, ensuring that those who commit these crimes are held accountable both criminally and civilly, making it clear that they cannot escape responsibility for their actions. To prevent the repetition of malicious behavior, we will continue to take strict measures against wrongdoers, with no settlements or leniency.”

V, who was also a victim of the rumors, directly criticized the operator of ‘Taldeok Camp’ On December 20 KST, 2021, V encountered a screenshot of a ‘Taldeok Camp’ video posted by a fan on BTS’s fan community platform, Weverse. In response, V commented, “Oh? I’ll proceed with the lawsuit. It’ll cover the cost of snacks. They even involve family and friends. Goodbye.” He continued, “I just took a quick look, and it’s not just us—all artists dislike people like that. Whether ARMYs have been monitoring this or not, I will file the lawsuit on behalf of everyone who was hurt and couldn’t muster the courage.”