K-pop sensation Jungkook of the band BTS has fallen victim to a major identity theft scheme.
Reports on Saturday state that an unidentified perpetrator illegally moved 8.44 billion KRW worth of HYBE stocks to another account in Jungkook’s name while the singer was serving his mandatory military duty.
According to Biz Hankook, the incident occurred on January 6, 2024, shortly after Jungkook enlisted. Reports reveal that an unidentified individual opened three securities accounts in the star’s name and used them to transfer 33,500 shares of HYBE without his knowledge. The 33,000 shares valued at approximately 8.3 billion KRW, were transferred to a new account under Jungkook’s name, while 500 shares worth 126 million KRW were sold to a third-party.
In response to the incident, Big Hit Music froze all of Jungkook’s accounts to minimise damages and prevent further financial losses.
In March 2024, Jungkook filed a lawsuit against the third party, following which, the Seoul Western District Court ruled in February 2025 ordered the shares to be returned to the singer. Although the third party initially appealed the court’s decision, they later withdrew.
The report further states that the person who likely moved the shares may be known to the singer, given their access to his personal information, including bank passwords, personal identification, and securities accounts.
The BTS star is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service, which began in December 2023. He is scheduled to be discharged from the military on June 11, 2025. As he joined the military with fellow band member Jimin, both are expected to be discharged on the same date.
