'Being advertised and sold illegally on social media'

[Courtesy of Seo Kyoung-duk]
[Courtesy of Seo Kyoung-duk]

Single CDs for BTS's new release "SWIM" are being sold illegally on a major Chinese online shopping platform, a South Korean professor has claimed.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, said Tuesday that tips from overseas BTS fans — known as ARMY — had confirmed that "'SWIM' single CDs were being openly sold illegally on Temu," adding that the platform was "even running advertisements on social media to promote the sales."

The BTS "SWIM" single CD is available exclusively through official retailers, including Weverse Shop.

"Even if the shopping mall claims it only provides the platform, exposing illegally sold products is clearly wrong," Seo said. "This is truly a pathetic act."

BTS performs during their world tour "Arirang" in Paris, France, in July. [Courtesy of Big Hit Music]
BTS performs during their world tour "Arirang" in Paris, France, in July. [Courtesy of Big Hit Music]

BTS announced their comeback with a performance at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul in March, then launched their "Arirang" world tour with a show in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in April. The tour has since continued across the United States, Mexico, Canada and five European countries.

The surge in interest in BTS has coincided with a rise in illegal sales of related merchandise on major Chinese online shopping platforms.

Earlier in March, unauthorized goods — including T-shirts and accessories bearing the "Arirang" logo without permission — were found on sale on major Chinese platforms such as Taobao and AliExpress, sparking controversy.

At the time, Seo also stressed that "even if the shopping mall claims it only provides the platform and did not directly produce the counterfeit goods, allowing such fake products to be listed is clearly wrong."


jshan@heraldcorp.com