SM Entertainment has been actively addressing legal issues related to fraudsters targeting its popular groups EXO and NCT. The agency is determined to protect its artists and fans from fraudulent activities.
Fraudsters have been attempting to exploit the fame of EXO and NCT through various schemes. These include selling fake concert tickets, and merchandise, and creating fraudulent fan events to deceive fans.
In response, SM Entertainment has taken strict legal action against these perpetrators. The company is working closely with law enforcement to identify and prosecute those involved in these scams.
The agency has also issued warnings to fans, urging them to be cautious and verify the authenticity of any EXO or NCT-related events and merchandise. SM Entertainment’s official notice read as:
“Hello, this is SM Entertainment.
We would like to inform you of the results regarding the lawsuit against the theft of personal information related to 1 member of EXO and 3 members of NCT.
We have collected substantial evidence through your reports and our monitoring regarding the act of impersonating delivery drivers during the X (Twitter) live broadcast in April 2023, through which artists’ personal information was stolen. We have filed a complaint with the law firm Sejong (Limited) as our legal representative, charging the suspects with violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, among others.
NCT (Credits: SM Entertainment)
The defendants in this case impersonated delivery drivers during a live broadcast with numerous viewers, stealing artists’ addresses and broadcasting them to the public. At the time, the police identified 4 participants in the live broadcast as suspects and subsequently forwarded 2 individuals who directly called the artists to the prosecution for indictment.
During the recent trial proceedings, the defendants admitted to all charges, claiming their actions stemmed from fandom for the artists and requesting leniency. Ultimately, each of the two defendants was fined 3 million Korean Won. We appreciate the tremendous support and valuable reports from fans that enabled legal action against these criminal acts targeting artists.
Despite ongoing efforts, unauthorized actions such as obtaining and using artists’ phone numbers or home addresses persist. Artists have endured this, appealing for relief from the profound psychological distress caused by these actions. We emphasize once again that these behaviours constitute serious crimes, instilling fear and inflicting significant mental harm rather than showing genuine interest in artists.
EXO (Credits: SM Entertainment)
Furthermore, we continue to monitor and take legal action against not only such behaviours but also any acts infringing upon artists’ rights and dignity, adhering to a strict zero-tolerance policy. We await the outcomes of several other legal cases. Please cease any behaviours infringing on artists’ privacy and avoid involvement in unwarranted incidents.
Disha Paul, hailing from Howrah, is an enthusiastic individual with a profound love for K-pop and K-drama. Her fascination often leads her to watch episodes and craft insightful recaps, capturing the essence of these vibrant shows.
