BigHit Music swiftly intervened, formally demanding the removal of V’s image from the project. According to M News, this action was prompted by a city press release following a social media post from Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong Han.
The post, which featured the mayor sitting in the same location where V had recently been seen during his military training, highlighted the singer’s visit. It quickly gained traction, amassing over 1,700 reactions and using V’s presence to promote the Chuncheon Folk Flea Market.
A city representative told local Korean newspaper Segye Ilbo;
We asked the local government to delete the photo because we used an artist’s portrait without the approval of the agency.
They further clarified;
The agency did not directly request the removal of V’s photos. We proactively issued the statement to avoid any potential disputes.
Additionally, the official noted that BigHit Music appeared to be more concerned about the establishment of photo zones dedicated to V rather than the photos themselves.
This incident is not an isolated case, as several local governments have leveraged BTS members’ visits for tourism campaigns, often leading to disputes over image rights, BigHit Music has a history of actively protecting its artists’ portraits from unauthorized commercial use.
The agency previously succeeded in demanding the demolition of the BTS Bus Stop in Jumunjin, linked to the group’s 2017 album "You Never Walk Alone", as well as the removal of a BTS Photo Zone in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. The ongoing struggle between local administrations and BigHit Music over the unauthorized use of BTS-related imagery was further underscored in July 2021 when Samcheok restored sculptures from the Maengbang Beach set of BTS' "Butter" album photoshoot.
As BigHit Music continues to enforce strict regulations regarding its artists' image rights, this case serves as another example of the delicate balance between public promotion and intellectual property protection.
