BTS
BTS’s agency HYBE has asked “The Camp,” an app used to send letters to those serving in the military, to stop using the band members’ names and photos without their consent.
All BTS members are currently completing their mandatory military service.
“The company sent a statement to The Camp’s operator noting that they had violated publicity rights, including using the band’s name without the band’s and agency’s consent,” HYBE said.
Separate member communities, such as JIN, J-HOPE, and RM, have been created on The Camp app. Communities have used members’ names and words like “official”, which may confuse fans that the community is an official communication channel created by the agency.
HYBE said the group already has a fan community platform on Weverse, adding that The Camp‘s communities for members are not “official.”
The Camp removed the group’s name and the word “official” from its communities, with the note “This is not the official BigHit Music account.“
The Camp also sold dolls with members’ real names on their badges on its shopping platform, The Camp Mall, for 56,000 won ($42).
The platform removed dolls with artist names and posts about BTS after HYBE said they violated the personality rights of the members’ names.
“The agency plans to strengthen its monitoring system and will take strong action against those who violate its right to publicity,” the agency added.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: Communiqué hybe, Yonhap
