HYBE files for US injunction to seize counterfeit BTS tour merchandise
The Korean music giant has filed a federal lawsuit to confiscate fake BTS merchandise at US stadium shows, underscoring the high financial stakes of protecting intellectual property in the global live music economy.
HYBE has filed a lawsuit in New Jersey federal court seeking a nationwide injunction to confiscate counterfeit BTS merchandise at upcoming United States concert venues. The legal action, initiated on Friday, July 10, targets vendors selling unauthorized goods around stadiums during the group’s ARIRANG world tour.
The company alleges that bootleg sellers have already flooded grounds in Tampa, El Paso, Stanford and Las Vegas since the tour began in April. HYBE’s legal team warned that absent injunctive relief, these defendants will continue distributing infringing t-shirts and posters near the August 1 MetLife Stadium show and subsequent US dates.
This unauthorized trade directly undermines HYBE’s controlled program of merchandising. The company manages official sales through online channels, pop-up stores and in-venue partnerships with Amazon Music, arguing that counterfeit goods are cheaper and of inferior quality.
If the court grants the injunction, HYBE will gain the authority to seize, impound and destroy fake merchandise at all future US tour stops. While such legal petitions are common in the live music industry, HYBE’s approach differs structurally from its peers.
Typically, these lawsuits are filed by licensed merchandising firms like Bravado or Merch Traffic on behalf of artists such as Beyoncé, The Weeknd or Bruce Springsteen. HYBE, however, outright owns all intellectual property rights to the BTS name and associated visuals, allowing it to litigate directly.
Protecting a massive revenue stream
The aggressive legal posture reflects the enormous financial scale of the current tour. Following the group’s return from an extended hiatus and a March album release, the ARIRANG trek has generated massive ticket revenue.
The tour topped the Billboard Boxscore chart in April and May, grossing a combined $204 million over that two-month period. In May alone, BTS set a record for the highest monthly gross by a group since the chart’s inception in 2019, surpassing The Rolling Stones.
HYBE previously secured similar injunctions to halt unlicensed sellers during US shows in 2019 and 2021. With the ARIRANG tour scheduled to run through 2027, including planned stops across Europe, this US legal strategy establishes a clear blueprint for protecting the company’s global merchandising revenue.
