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BTS, LE SSERAFIM's agency HYBE and Korean police arrest 8 suspects for creating deepfake content of artists; report
To curb the creation and spread of deepfake content targeting their artists, HYBE, NGPPA, and fans each took proactive steps. Read on to know more.
HYBE worked together with the Korean police to identify eight individuals who might be associated with the creation of malicious content regarding the label's artists. As per Billboard's April 11 report, Korea’s Northern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency (NGPPA) arrested the individuals on the allegations of making deepfake videos of K-pop idols under HYBE Labels. The investigation began back in February 2024, and finally, after more than a year, the case saw a breakthrough.
The investigation was launched due to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BTS and SEVENTEEN's agency HYBE and the NGPPA, aimed at combating cybercrimes and ensuring the safety of their artists. HYBE provided crucial information to the NGPPA, enabling them to track down and identify the suspects. Jason Jaesang Lee, CEO of HYBE, said in a press statement, "HYBE will respond firmly to crimes that infringe on our artists’ portrait rights and reputations, based on a zero-tolerance and no-settlement policy."
Through that, the label showcased its dedication towards the well-being of their K-pop idols. The district chief of NGPPA, Ho Seung Kim, also made similar remarks about doing their best to find out all the offenders and punish them for spreading falsehoods online. Regarding the nature of the criminal activity, he mentioned, "Deepfake crimes that exploit the vulnerabilities of celebrities—who often find it difficult to report such offenses themselves—are on the rise."
Regarding its impact on individuals, the official said, “Deepfake is a serious type of crime that can destroy the daily lives of victims, and crimes targeting public figures are no exception.” A deepfake is a piece of media (like a video, image, or audio) created or manipulated by artificial intelligence (AI). Its purpose is to make a person appear as if they are someone else or to depict them saying or doing something they didn't actually say or do.
In a joint effort to combat the creation and dissemination of malicious deepfake content targeting their artists, HYBE and fans collaborated to take action. Fans actively contributed to the investigation by reporting incidents through the HYBE Artist Rights Violation Report Center tip line, supporting the agency's efforts to crack down on offenders.
