BTS member V, also known as Kim Tae-hyung, publicly addressed his surprise and discomfort on Friday after private KakaoTalk conversations he exchanged with former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin were submitted as evidence in her ongoing legal dispute with HYBE, without his prior knowledge or consent.

BTS V

The messages surfaced in court documents related to Min's shareholder agreement lawsuit against HYBE, where the Seoul Central District Court ruled partially in her favor on Feb. 12, ordering HYBE to pay approximately 25.5 billion won (about $17.7 million) under a put option for stock purchase rights. The court included screenshots of the chats as attachments in its first-instance decision, accepting them while deeming Min's claims about industry similarities — including allegations that HYBE's rookie girl group ILLIT copied NewJeans' concept — as a legitimate expression of opinion rather than defamation.

In the revealed portions of the conversation, V reportedly responded to Min's concerns about plagiarism by acknowledging perceived resemblances, stating something along the lines of, "I took a look as well and thought, 'Oh, this is kinda similar.'" The exchange stemmed from a private, empathetic discussion between acquaintances, according to multiple reports from outlets like Sports Kyunghyang and OSEN.

V broke his silence via Instagram Stories on Feb. 20, reposting a news article about the disclosure and writing: "These are parts of private conversations shared out of empathy because the person was my acquaintance. I have absolutely no intention of taking any side. However, I find it very disconcerting that the conversations in question were submitted as evidence without my consent." Fans noted the Korean term he used,

"danghwangseureopda," translates more closely to "taken aback," "bewildered" or "unsettled" rather than outright "embarrassed," emphasizing his distress over the privacy breach rather than regret for the content.

HYBE, BTS's parent company, quickly responded through a statement to OSEN: "It was a private conversation with an acquaintance, so he simply expressed his sympathy, and it has nothing to do with agreeing to any specific claims. The artist also wanted to express dissatisfaction about the private conversation being submitted as court evidence without consent."

The incident has ignited widespread backlash among fans, who accused Min Hee-jin of improperly using personal correspondence to bolster her case. Social media platforms flooded with support for V, with many calling the submission a violation of privacy boundaries, especially since V is not a party to the litigation. ARMYs worldwide expressed anger, with comments highlighting how unrelated third parties' casual chats should not be weaponized in corporate disputes.

The HYBE-Min Hee-jin feud traces back to April 2024, when internal tensions erupted over creative control at ADOR, Min's label under HYBE that manages NewJeans. Accusations of plagiarism against ILLIT intensified the conflict, with Min claiming HYBE undermined her vision. The Feb. 12 ruling favored Min on the stock payment issue, though HYBE filed an appeal the following day, signaling the case remains far from resolved. Additional lawsuits, including defamation claims, continue in parallel.

V's involvement adds an unexpected layer, drawing attention to how private communications can enter public legal records in South Korea. Courts often admit chat logs as evidence if deemed relevant, but the non-consensual inclusion of a non-litigant's messages has sparked debate over privacy protections in high-profile entertainment cases.

Neither V nor his agency BigHit Music (a HYBE subsidiary) has commented further beyond the initial statements. V, who completed mandatory military service in 2025 and has focused on solo projects and group activities since, maintains a low-key public presence outside of music releases.

The controversy underscores ongoing strains within HYBE amid shifting leadership and group dynamics. Min Hee-jin, who stepped down from ADOR amid the disputes, has faced criticism for allegedly dragging unrelated figures into the fray. Fans urged respect for artists' personal boundaries, with some calling for clearer guidelines on evidence admissibility in celebrity-adjacent litigation.

As HYBE's appeal proceeds, the episode highlights the intersection of corporate battles, artistic integrity and personal privacy in K-pop's high-stakes environment. V's measured response reinforces his stance of neutrality while spotlighting the unease caused by the unauthorized exposure of private exchanges.