BTS parent company HYBE rocked by insider scandal as 3 employees jailed for leaking enlistment news
HYBE employees used secret info about BTS military plans to dodge stock losses. Now they’ve been fined and handed jail sentences
The post-enlistment buzz around BTS has taken a serious turn and this time, it's not on stage, but in court. HYBE, the powerhouse behind the global supergroup, is facing internal tremors after three of its former and current employees were caught leaking confidential information tied to BTS’s military enlistment.
On Tuesday, the Seoul Southern District Court sentenced three individuals for insider trading, stating they had violated the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. These employees reportedly used sensitive, non-public information about BTS’s enlistment schedule to offload their HYBE shares — right before the company's stock tanked. The court revealed that HYBE announced on YouTube (June 14, 2022) that BTS would pause group activities due to Jin's enlistment. The next day, the company's stock plummeted nearly 25%.
Kim, a 37-year-old employee at Source Music, received a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with a hefty fine of ₩231 million ( ₹1.45 crore). Former BigHit employee Lee, 33, and a 41-year-old from Belift Lab, were also fined and given suspended sentences.
The court didn’t mince words: “An artist’s actions have a significant impact on revenue in an entertainment company, so whether they continue or suspend activities is a highly sensitive matter.” It further emphasised the damage, calling it “a serious crime that compromises the fairness of the capital market”. In addition to the fines, the employees have also been ordered to repay the profits they gained or, more accurately, the losses they avoided.
As for now, BTS is back in action, sort of. The members (excluding Jin, who’s now on a solo world tour) are in Los Angeles for a creative boot camp, gearing up for a 2026 group album. Jungkook is reportedly plotting a solo tour and keeps ARMY entertained on live, while Hobi just wowed fans at Lollapalooza Berlin 2025.
