BTS (Bangtan Boys) seeks subpoena from Elon Musk’s X to track down ‘Arirang’ leaker

According to Financial News, BIGHIT MUSIC, a label under HYBE, has taken legal action in the United States against an anonymous user of X (formerly Twitter) suspected of leaking BTS’s comeback album “Arirang,” including its tracks and artwork.
On the 13th (local time), Digital Music News reported that BIGHIT MUSIC asked a United States court to issue a subpoena requiring X to disclose the personal information of the account holder. The company needs to identify the user in order to file a civil lawsuit for copyright and trade secret infringement.
Digital Music News stated, "The company argued that the leak undermined the album’s element of surprise and negatively affected its market impact and sales," adding, "HYBE has previously used the U.S. subpoena system to bring lawsuits in Korea for copyright infringement and defamation against online leakers and commenters."
BIGHIT MUSIC and HYBE are also tracking individuals who anonymously sell illegal BTS merchandise. They previously succeeded in seizing similar counterfeit goods during world tours in 2019 and 2021.
Meanwhile, BIGHIT MUSIC has also been cracking down on counterfeit K-pop merchandise near Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province, where the group kicked off its last world tour.
jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-a Reporter