BTS Founder Could Now Face Arrest

The music executive who built BTS into a global force could now face arrest. South Korean police have asked prosecutors to seek an arrest warrant for Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk, alleging he orchestrated a secret profit-sharing deal and misled early investors ahead of Hybe's 2020 stock-market debut; the company was then known as Big Hit Entertainment. Investigators say that in 2019 Bang told venture backers a public listing was unlikely, nudging them to sell shares to a private equity fund allegedly tied to him, then took a 30% slice of the gains—about $136 million—when the fund cashed out after the IPO, per the BBC. Bang and Hybe deny any wrongdoing.

The probe, launched in December 2024, has already seen raids on Hybe's offices. Bang's assets have been frozen and he's been barred from overseas travel since August, though the US embassy in Seoul recently requested that he be allowed to travel to the US, USA Today reports. If convicted under South Korean law, he could see anywhere between five years and life in prison. News of the possible arrest warrant, requested by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, comes as BTS launches a money-spinning comeback world tour that has pushed Hybe's value to a four-year high. It also comes amid a broader government push to crack down on stock manipulation. Hybe shares fell 2.3% Tuesday even as the wider Kospi climbed.