HYBE, Source Music, and Belift Lab secure a legal victory as the court penalizes a "cyber wrecker" for unverified claims.
HYBE Wins a Legal Battle Against a YouTube Channel
The defamation case culminated in a penalty amounting to ₩15 million (~ $10,261 USD) in overall damages, emphasizing the lack of evidence in the claims made.
- HYBE, alongside its sublabels Belift Lab and Source Music, won a court case against a “cyber wrecker” YouTube channel over defamatory content.
- The channel allegedly exploited many controversies, like the HYBE–Min Hee-jin conflict, and rumors like ILLIT–NewJeans plagiarism case.
- The court dismissed all of the channel’s claims, further strengthening HYBE’s clampdown on online defamation.
HYBE recently won a case against the operator of the YouTube channel “Anything” with the Seoul Western District Court ordering the former to pay ₩15 million (~ $10,261 USD) in total damages to the BTS label, including its subsidiaries Belift Lab and Source Music. The verdict reportedly awarded ₩5M (~ $3,420.2) to each of these entities, while serving as a major legal step against the “cyber wrecker” culture. Notably, this culture is based on a digital economy that capitalizes on industry volatility via unverified claims.
Cyber Wrecker Content Capitalized on HYBE–Min Hee-jin Fallout?
The “cyberwrecker” issue arose in April 2024, coinciding with the breakdown in relations between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. According to Seoul Economic Daily, the YouTube channel “Anything” monetized on the chaos for about six months, churning out about 30 videos to harvest views from the instability of the moment. Additionally, the channel also put up sensationalized titles like “The ILLIT Controversy” and “HYBE's Alleged Bullying of NewJeans' Hanni” based on rumors and gossip.
NewJeans: HYBE
Court Rejects Rumors And Plagiarism Allegations Related to HYBE
Such content uploaded and disseminated online grew to be more than tabloid fodder. Thus, it prompted the court to rule that they were strategic actions causing genuine damage to social reputations and business operations. The court emphasized heavily on the lack of veracity behind the content, while especially mentioning the plagiarism claims between Belift Lab and Min Hee-jin. The legal authorities noted the total absence of substantial evidence to support the allegations regarding ILLIT copying NewJeans’ choreography.
Furthermore, this ruling echoed a separate civil suit that involved ADOR, making it clear that evidence is not sufficient enough to verify that NewJeans’ Hanni was ever told to be “ignored” by a manager. As per the court’s conclusion, the defendant failed to prove the authenticity of these claims before uploading them to a huge audience.
HYBE Escalates Legal Crackdown On Defamation Channels
The penalty of ₩15M (~ $10,261) was decided upon weighing the frequency of the posts, the channel’s subscriber count, and view totals against HYBE’s eminent status in the entertainment management industry. As HYBE persistently battles damages against seven different operators alleging similar defamation, the case signals a tightening legal stance. By ruling against the “wrecker” content, the Seoul Western District Court’s judgment serves as a stark reminder of the fact that in the digital landscape today, credibility carries a huge price tag.
Author
Diya Mukherjee is a Content Writer at Outlook Respawn with a postgraduate background in media. She has a passion for writing content and is enthusiastic about exploring cultures, literature, global affairs, and pop culture.
