MGM Media Responds To Big Hit's Statement Of Violating BTS's Portrait Rights

MGM Media has responded to Big Hit’s statement on their use of BTS’s name and image.

On January 8, MGM Media released their official statement regarding Big Hit Entertainment’s recent statement, which says the publication company violated BTS’s rights to their name and image with an upcoming issue of their magazine Star Focus.

The following is MGM Media’s full statement:

1. For the past few years, MGM Media has been communicating with our readers through articles that report about Korean celebrities on Star Focus, which is the official magazine of the Korean Film Actors Association and the Korean SNS Journalist Federation.

2. MGM Media has never produced “a pictorial collection of BTS combining the photos of the members” that Big Hit argues that we did.

If you look at the pre-sale orders for the Star Focus Special Magazine on Kyobo Bookstore, Aladin, Yes24, and other websites mentioned in Big Hit’s official statement, the publication is set for release on January 15, 2019. Therefore, Big Hit has never seen the content nor has the knowledge to make the argument that the publication is “without any particular article content and simply puts together various members’ photos.”

3. All of the content that MGM Media utilizes for the purpose of coverage has been directly created or procured through proper procedures, and Star Focus is being produced with the sweat and passion of reporters who spend each day quietly writing.

Furthermore, we once again state that MGM Media will be donating the profits of the upcoming special issue of Star Focus, just as we have been continuously doing since the first issue.

4. As an entertainment magazine that loves and supports BTS, we apologize for unintentionally creating a controversy due to a small misunderstanding. We promise to do our best to smoothly handle the misunderstanding with Big Hit Entertainment as well.

Once again, we feel regretful for worrying many fans and those who are directly related to this problem. We will return with better and improved articles. Thank you.

Source (1) (2)

Top Photo Credit: Xportsnews