Variety | BTS Agency Hybe Founder Bang Si-hyuk Faces Detention as Seoul Police Seek Arrest Warrant by Naman Ramachandran

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Seoul police have applied for a warrant to detain Bang Si‑hyuk, the chair and founder of Hybe (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), accusing him of securities fraud tied to the company’s 2023 public listing. Investigators allege that in 2019 Bang gave early shareholders false assurances that a stock‑market debut was not imminent, prompting them to sell their stakes to a private‑equity vehicle linked to his associates; when Hybe later went public, the fund exited its position and Bang is suspected of receiving roughly 30 % of the proceeds—about KRW 190 billion ($129 million)—through a pre‑arranged deal. Although Bang has denied any wrongdoing and Hybe has not commented, prosecutors warn that under South Korea’s Capital Market Act anyone who profits over KRW 5 billion from false representations faces at least five years in prison, up to life. Bang has been questioned five times, placed under a travel ban that drew a diplomatic protest from the U.S. Embassy, and his alleged misconduct caused Hybe’s shares to dip sharply, even as BTS staged a highly‑attended comeback concert in Seoul and prepares for a U.S. tour leg. A court must still approve the warrant before he can be taken into custody.

Read more: https://variety.com/2026/music/news/bts-hybe-founder-bang-si-hyuk-arrest-1236726734/

#BangSi-Hyuk #HYBE #BTS #KoreaExchange

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