A man in his 20s has been sentenced to prison for impersonating BTS members to illegally obtain sensitive information and unreleased music tracks. On May 16th, the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Appeal Division 5-2, consisting of Presiding Judges Kim Yong-joong, Kim Ji-sun, and So Byung-jin, upheld the one-year prison sentence for a 29-year-old identified as A.
He was charged with violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. A was arrested for using his mobile phone to pose as BTS members, specifically targeting a music producer to extract details on military service and unreleased music. Between August and September 2022, A impersonated Suga (Min Yoon-gi), obtaining unreleased guide tracks through conversations with a producer known as B.
Failed Con Artist Tried to Fool Industry Insiders, Ends Up Behind Bars Instead
In November 2022, A continued his fraudulent activities by impersonating producer B to contact Suga directly, seeking information on album release plans, expected release dates, and military service schedules. Furthermore, A impersonated BTS’s V (Kim Tae-hyung) to obtain more than ten unreleased guide tracks from another producer.
The initial trial court imposed a prison sentence on A, citing the substantial financial and social harm his actions could cause to BTS and their management company. Both the defendant and the prosecutor appealed the decision, but the appellate court dismissed these appeals, confirming the original judgment.
Additionally, it has come to light that A is a music producer who had previously worked on songs for well-known idol groups. His past involvement in the music industry highlights the severity of his betrayal of trust and the implications of his criminal actions.
