Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- K-pop band BTS' agency has called for an end to the unauthorized use of images and trademarks related to the seven-member band as publications using fabricated images designed to defame BTS members flooded online communities.

"There has been a recent rise in the number of publications that make use of BTS imagery, trademarks and other materials," Big Hit Entertainment said in a statement uploaded onto its official Twitter account. The statement was uploaded in Korean and English.

The agency said that there are publications containing critical or biographical content, which were not released through official channels. Big Hit urged fans not to be "harmed by any attempts to commercialize these books and other publications."

In many cases, unauthorized contents were related to Jungkook's dating rumors that surfaced on September 17. Some cyberbullies have fabricated his photographs to support their claims.

ARMY, the international fan club of BTS, has welcomed Big Hit's warning while some fans asked the agency to take action. A Twitter user named "JK_Resistance" said, "Protect your artist against vultures. We want the proof that you are taking legal actions against those snakes committing crimes by fabricating vids, pic, etc."