Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk Faces Arrest Warrant in South Korea Amid Police Investigation

BTS Label Boss Faces Arrest: Allegations Against Bang Si-hyuk Explained South Korean authorities have moved to detain Bang Si-hyuk, founder and chairman of HYBE, the entertainment agency behind global K-pop sensation BTS, in connection with an alleged investor fraud scheme tied to the company’s 2020 initial public offering. Police allege that Bang violated capital market laws by misleading early investors ahead of HYBE’s listing and directing them to sell shares to a private equity fund linked to his associates. After HYBE went public, the fund sold its stake, and Bang reportedly received approximately 30% of the profits under a prior shareholder agreement, amounting to roughly 190 billion won ($129 million) in illicit gains. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency requested a detention warrant for Bang on Tuesday, citing allegations of fraudulent and unfair trading. HYBE has stated that Bang has consistently cooperated with the investigation and denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing its commitment to continuing cooperation with legal procedures. Bang has been barred from leaving South Korea since August of last year as the probe progressed. HYBE shares declined following the news, falling 2.4% by market close compared to a 2.7% rise in South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul recently sent a letter requesting that Bang be allowed to travel to the United States despite the travel ban imposed during the investigation. HYBE, formed from the merger of Big Hit Entertainment and Source Music, manages BTS and other prominent K-pop acts. The company’s 2020 IPO valued it at approximately 4.8 trillion won ($4.2 billion) at the time.