BTS's comeback is overshadowed by illegal merchandise sales in China, raising concerns about copyright violations and market integrity.
March/24/2026 12:19Related Groups & Members
BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) is accelerating their full-scale activities starting with the Gwanghwamun performance, while illegal goods are rampant in China. Today (24th), Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University revealed that illegal BTS merchandise is being sold on large online shopping malls in China. The professor confirmed this through information provided by internet users, stating, 'Upon checking, T-shirts and various accessories boldly using the 'ARIRANG' logo are being sold on Taobao, AliExpress, etc.' He particularly pointed out, 'The biggest problem is selling illegal goods that use BTS's portrait rights without permission,' and emphasized, 'Even if they are only providing a platform and not directly producing illegal goods, exposing such counterfeit products is clearly wrong.' BTS's full group comeback performance 'BTS COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG' took place on the 21st at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul and garnered significant attention through an exclusive live broadcast on Netflix. According to FlixPatrol, the live broadcast ranked first in 77 countries where Netflix is officially available, topping the overall rankings among Netflix films released during that period. However, China is a country where Netflix is not officially serviced. The exclusive broadcasting rights fee for 'BTS COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG' is said to reach around 10 billion won (approximately 10 million USD). Despite this, illegal reproduction and distribution of BTS comeback merchandise is occurring. This is not the first time illegal reproduction and distribution of Korean content merchandise has sparked controversy in China. Previously, when the Netflix original series 'Squid Game' gained immense popularity, related products were illegally reproduced and distributed in China, causing a stir. In response, overseas news media like the South China Morning Post reported, 'Some popular products related to 'Squid Game' sold on Korean online shopping sites are being sold by companies in Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province and Anhui Province.' Regarding this, Professor Seo Kyung-duk stated, 'It is truly a shameful act. Not only illegal viewing but also creating illegal goods to profit from them is unacceptable,' and urged, 'This should stop. The act of stealing content from other countries must end immediately.'
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