[Getty Images]
[Getty Images]

BTS's agency Hybe has moved to block the sale of counterfeit merchandise during the group's upcoming US tour.

According to Billboard, Hybe filed a lawsuit Friday in US federal court in New Jersey seeking authority to seize and destroy counterfeit products sold near venues hosting BTS concerts.

Hybe said that since BTS's "Arirang" world tour began in April, bootleggers have descended on multiple concert venues — including sites in Tampa, Florida; El Paso, Texas; Stanford, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

The company also said the counterfeiters are selling knockoff goods that resemble official merchandise but are cheaper and lower in quality, causing financial harm to Hybe's official online store, pop-up shops and venue sales.

In its complaint, Hybe said the sellers "unlawfully sold and distributed counterfeit T-shirts, posters and other merchandise that infringe on copyrights during the US tour" and warned that, without an injunction, they would continue operating around venues before, during and after the East Rutherford concert and at subsequent shows.

BTS is set to kick off the next leg of its tour at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Aug. 1, before moving on to Foxborough, Massachusetts; Baltimore, Maryland; Arlington, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Los Angeles, California.

[Getty Images]
[Getty Images]

If the court grants the request, Hybe would have the right to seize, confiscate and destroy counterfeit goods. The company obtained similar seizure orders from US courts during its 2019 and 2021 tours.

Billboard noted that pursuing such orders has become a common strategy among artists seeking to crack down on counterfeit vendors. BTS is not alone — Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, The Weeknd, Jonas Brothers, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, SZA and Olivia Rodrigo have all filed similar lawsuits.

Meanwhile, BTS is also facing a separate lawsuit alleging that "SWIM," the title track of the group's fifth studio album "Arirang," plagiarized songs by lesser-known composers. Three songwriters — Steve Cooper, John Sandler and Graelyn Johnson — filed the suit claiming substantial similarity to their own demo track of the same name.

According to Billboard, the three filed the suit against Hybe, Hybe America and Big Hit Music, as well as "SWIM" co-writer Ryan Tether of the band OneRepublic, among others involved in the song's composition.

Big Hit Music, a Hybe subsidiary, pushed back, calling the claims "one-sided" and saying "'SWIM' is an independently created work."


ygmoon@heraldcorp.com