Big Hit apologizes for the BTS manager incident: manager has been dismissed from position

[citrine047.livejournal.com]

Hello, this is BTS' company Big Hit Entertainment.

We sincerely apologize for having given the fans anxiety through the '2016 BTS Season's Greetings DVD Making' video. Big Hit Entertainment completely prohibits any coercive actions that may cause the company artists to be unable to freely exercise their capabilities and energies. However, we must take responsibility both for the problematic action that arose, and for the fact that such a scene was included in a video that had so much meaning for the fans.

The manager in question has acknowledged his mistake, and has been summarily dismissed from his position. The supervisors have also been asked to take responsibility.

To make sure that a problem like this never again arises, we will make efforts to strengthen the internal control system of the company. In addition to this issue, we will also check through all of the similar cases that have been revealed online. Additionally, in the future should this situation recur, we will take strong action without regard to the position of the person in question.

Big Hit Entertainment considers this to be a serious problem that has shaken the principles of the company.

With heavy hearts, we are looking backwards to ensure that we have not overlooked the reasons for which we do this work. We will use this as an occasion to strengthen our most important principle, which is 'respect for and faith in our artists.'

Once again, we deeply apologize to the fans who give BTS so much love.

Netizen Comments
1. [+74, -4] An action that should've been done... Watching the clip made me wonder how much worse he must be off camera

2. [+69, -3] Just because he was removed from his position as manager doesn't mean he was fired. He's still working in the company. Please completely fire him from the company.

3. [+59, -4] I was horrified seeing Jungkook flinch like that;; if he's like that on camera, imagine off... sigh...

4. [+47, -1] I can't believe a company still thinks this is appropriate. It's like we're stuck in the nineties. So what if he was removed from his position?? BTS is still going to be working with him in another position...

5. [+49, -3] Why are all the managers like this? ^^;

6. [+21, -1] If he's a minor, the manager should be reported to the police for abuse of a minor ㅋㅋ

7. [+17, -0] We're not asking him to be 'removed', we're asking him to be 'fired'. He's still working in the company. The kids just got back to Korea, I wonder what he's going to do to them now.

8. [+17, -0] That apology should be directed to Jungkook

9. [+16, -0] Violence should never be accepted but even moreso from an adult to a minor, that's a crime. How can this company keep someone like him? He should be fire and yet they just moved him somewhere else? Is this a joke?

sources: Big Hit's original tweet | Translation by BTS0222 | NetizenBuzz | Naver

previous post about the incident.
im at a point where i dont how much of this statement should i believe. but them addressing it is a step in the right direction i guess.

Comments

[typhlogirl.livejournal.com]

I'm honestly stunned they did something, tbh

[lesth.livejournal.com]

This, and so quickly! I'm really surprised.

[chikage-chan.livejournal.com]

"we will also check through all of the similar cases that have been revealed online"

There were more cases?! Damn it, BigHit, why?
Cases of managers abusing their positions happen way too much in this industry, God...

[shintotchi.livejournal.com]

I'm actually surprised they responded and they responded so quickly. Maybe because it was on a DVDs, then they had to address it more quickly? Anyway, good news, I think.

That was fast.

[cafetin99.livejournal.com]

Whatever were the reasons for such a rapid response, is good to know that at least they addressed the problem.

[seulgibear.livejournal.com]

i did not expect a respone this quick. i appreciate they didn't just say it's a misunderstanding or whatever, but this kinda confirms that he did hit them. fuck him, fire him and make sure he never comes within ten feet of bangtan, or any child. netizen 7 just made me worry more

[violoncelliste.livejournal.com]

i'm surprised and glad they responded but he should be fired. come on, we have him on camera threatening violence and a confession already, how can you keep someone like that in the company??

[in-noctem.livejournal.com]

it's upsetting that fans had to cause an uproar before they took action because they obviously knew this was happening (that asshole manager didn't even bother trying to hide his actions with cameras around). idk I guess I'm just being pessimistic but I wonder if they would have just continued pretending it wasn't an issue if this didn't get as much attention as it did.

big hit has received tons of backlash for a lot of things for a while now, I wonder what will finally get them to sit down and evaluate the way they're running the company, and how they're treating their moneymakers and the fans.

[kjc48.livejournal.com]

WOW, I didn't expect this outcome. But good job BH! (I'm shocked to be saying this)

[lulufairybubble.livejournal.com]

He should be fired. I dont want any chance of Jungkook or any other person he has done this to to have any chance of having to see him again.
I want people to know this sadly is not an isolated incident. This stuff happens in a lot of those companies. Didnt Seungri talk about YG or another high up person hitting him a while ago?

[happydirections.livejournal.com]

glad they responded to this and that they are taking it seriously.

[seroquels.livejournal.com]

I'm glad (and surprised) they did something. But I'm still not happy that it took this to get them to do something. Kfans have been complaining for awhile about this, and not until it got caught on camera and started showing up in articles did they take action.

[happydirections.livejournal.com]

oh, have they? i just thought it was about the rudeness if this specific manager. still, they should have done something about that too then because from what i've heard he was rude to the fans.

[seroquels.livejournal.com]

Well I don't speak Korean, so that's what I've read from ifans who translate.

[scionofawhisper.livejournal.com]

Wow, this breaks my heart.
And apparently it's not an isolated incident...
It's hard to believe anything a kpop company says, but at least they are under public scrutIny for their actions now. :/

[wishesgranted.livejournal.com]

They'll just do a better job of keeping this kind of thing off camera now. I have no faith in a company who would keep people like this employed and working with these kids and only takes action when they're at risk of having their name tarnished and losing money. Were they okay with this kind of behavior before it was exposed and criticized?

I don't follow BTS like I did at the beginning, but I'm worried about Jungkookie. I hope they don't punish him further for any of this exposure. I hope the manager is never allowed to have contact with him again.

I think I need to take my cynical self out of this post.

[seulgibear.livejournal.com]

mfte. they only did something bc they accidentally caught it on camera on official video, otherwise this pos would have continued to work with them. how can we trust them to reevaluate their staff if he has been doing this for some time without repercussions? any speck of trust i had has vanished and i don't think anything can earn it back. the boys, and jungkook esp, better be safe after this

[wishesgranted.livejournal.com]

I hate that I even think this way but I've just seen too much fuckery go down, I guess. I don't trust Big Hit.

[teukie-pie.livejournal.com]

Just read some comments on allkpop, and so many people there are going like 'I hope you're happy BTS fans, now a man won't be able to feed his family!' or 'There is no proof! Fired over nothing!' etc, etc.
I mean, seriously? >_>
Plus, it's not like he was actually fired, just moved to another position.....

[gray-fairy.livejournal.com]

AKP is a fucking mess, what can you expect. I can't believe they're dismissing an ABUSIVE behavior like that.

[ocean-pig.livejournal.com]

Are they serious? A lot of fans including myself gave him and BH the benefit of the doubt when we all knew it was most likely true. They wouldn't have moved him to another position and said he admitted his fault if it wasn't true. What kind of adult would get that angry at a kid for eating??? ... not ranting at you. Sorry.
He should be fired so Jungkook and the others don't have to see him anymore >

[gray-fairy.livejournal.com]

So the fans weren't "making up drama" after all. I'm glad they acknowledged it and that asshole was dismissed from his position.

[love-quake.livejournal.com]

Reading from some of the comments, so dismissed does not meant he is fired. Hmmmmm...

But I am glad he is no more their manager. That ass.

[halfdressedliar.livejournal.com]

I thought it meant fired too. When I worked in HR it was always recommended that we say dismissed and not fired, but I guess in Korean it's different.

[love-quake.livejournal.com]

I see! I guess it is different in Korea but I do hope when they meant dismissed, it also meant fired.

[szhuns.livejournal.com]

Echoing a few other comments here, but the fact that the company didn't deny it means that it's likely the claims of abuse were true and that makes me sick. They're nice kids and no one deserves to be treated that way. I'm glad something is being done but it makes you wonder what other type of things are happening.

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

he was dissmissed, not fired there's a difference
but I'm so surprised that they responded so fast and actually did something!!!!

[rocketqueen.livejournal.com]

i'm glad they actually did something but he should be completely fired :/ it breaks my heart to imagine jungkook or any of the other members going through something like this

[infadel-x.livejournal.com]

tbh I don't trust Bughit. I call them Bughit for a reason. They haven't done anything right in the entirety of BTS career except sucking money from fans. Ethically they are right on the fence, and I need them to sit down and re-evaluate themselves. If BTS hits their Korean strides within next year and this keeps on it will be a clusterfuck.

[chanqsun.livejournal.com]

Well damn!!
okay *claps* fot quick response.

[ocean-pig.livejournal.com]

I'm so bitter. Apologize to Jungkook and his parents. And that manager should be fired, not moved to another position. What is this...

[kaninasan.livejournal.com]

i'm honestly amazed that they responded so quickly and actually admitted fault. that man needs to be fired, not moved to another position though.

i hope they'll be serious about treating bts better now, and that this isn't just empty words.

[m. (from livejournal.com)]

that was quick, i'm so surprised they did anything tbh. it means he did hit the boys and that it wasn't an isolated incident. they probably moved him only because he got caught :/// i'm so pissed rn
he should be fired immediately.

[pastelpinklace.livejournal.com]

BigHit is so incompetent i can't, I hope all BTS members leave that stupid ass company and take pdogg with them

[inmortaloves.livejournal.com]

[sikania.livejournal.com]

I don't get why this man hasn't been fired and banned to work near anyone for the rest of his life...If you don't have the patience to work with teenagers don't be a manager of an idol group...
It's good tho they acted fast and admitted what happened instead of trying to cover it up, so I'm thankful to them for that.

[soyymilk.livejournal.com]

wow i'm surprised they addressed this so quickly but it makes me sad thinking about the shit that goes on behind closed doors and if the fans had not spoken up about this.... would they have let it slide? it's no secret that idols are mistreated.

[lostintheechoes.livejournal.com]

i'm glad they are addressing this issue.

[jaelissi.livejournal.com]

The manager isn't Jungkook's daddy, so how dare he raise his hand to the boy whether he hit him or not. I'm glad there's a policy in place and the man was removed so Kookie doesn't have to deal with him anymore. He seems very unpleasant.

That said, there are a lot of assumptions being made off of a 2~3 second video of a common gesture for adults and superiors in Korea and some other places. The members seem to have a good relationship and communication with their CEO and if there had been anything truly abnormal going on, I don't think any of them would have stood for it. I think it's a bit much to draw such far reaching conclusions and demand the man be fired based on this.

[atopworld.livejournal.com]

Ah, so the previous post wasn't fans just making noise. I guess it had been a problem before, then? As long is he is far away from the kids, that's all that matters, but it looks like he was removed not fired.