BTS vs Taldeok Camp: The Appeal Trial Unfolds
The appeal trial pitting BigHit Music, V, and Jung Kook from BTS against the operator of the now-defunct YouTube channel Taldeok Camp is taking center stage in November 2025. The battle’s heating up in a Seoul courtroom, and for K-pop fans, it’s as tense as a cliffhanger in your favorite drama.
What Has Happened So Far?
Back in February 2025, the Seoul Western District Court ordered the channel’s operator to pay around €35,000 to BigHit Music, €6,800 to V, and €10,200 to Jung Kook (that’s roughly $37,250, $7,250, and $10,900 USD, respectively, including late payment interest and legal fees). Naturally, the accused wasn’t thrilled and appealed the ruling.
Earlier attempts at mediation during June and July 2025 failed, and so, both parties are meeting for their first appeals hearing on November 14, 2025. Since its creation in 2021, Taldeok Camp gained notoriety for posting videos fueled by rumors and accusations targeting idols and influencers. Unsurprisingly, the channel was taken down due to defamatory content.
How Did It Get Here?
In March 2024, BigHit Music, V, and Jung Kook launched a civil lawsuit, demanding about €62,000 (roughly $66,000 USD) in damages. The agency identified the operator and requested that a criminal investigation be reopened, simultaneously filing another civil suit for defamation and reputational damage.
Courtroom Arguments: What Both Sides Say
As the hearing got underway, lawyers traded sharp words. Attorneys for BigHit Music declared:
The evidence shows the channel operated as a platform for cyberbullying, using fake information to harm our clients and profit from it. This behavior violated their publicity rights and damaged BigHit Music’s business activities.
The defense, representing Taldeok Camp’s operator, countered:
The plaintiffs’ demands are unfounded. Even if liability were recognized, the amounts claimed are disproportionate.
And the rebuttal continued:
The plaintiffs imply that HYBE’s share price decline is due to these videos, but that’s impossible to prove. As for copyright, changes to the complaint make recognizing any infraction difficult, and even if it were found, the requested damages are excessive.
For now, all eyes are on Seoul as the first appeals hearing plays out. The K-pop industry, and its legion of global fans, won’t have to wait long to learn what this means for BTS, reputations, and the limits of online speech in a digital age.
