As K-pop sensation BTS gears up for their highly anticipated comeback with their fifth album, “Arirang,” after a four-year hiatus, concerns are rising over the proliferation of unauthorized merchandise on Chinese e-commerce platforms, according to Professor Seo Kyung-duk.
Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University took to social media to address the issue, stating that he had received numerous reports from concerned internet users.
Following investigation, Professor Seo confirmed that major Chinese online marketplaces, including Taobao and AliExpress, are offering T-shirts and accessories prominently featuring the “Arirang” logo without authorization.
“The most pressing concern is the unauthorized sale of products using the likenesses of BTS members,” Professor Seo emphasized. “Even if these platforms are simply acting as marketplaces and not directly manufacturing the goods, allowing the display and sale of counterfeit items is undeniably problematic.”
Professor Seo also drew parallels to a similar situation during the global phenomenon of Netflix’s “Squid Game,” where pirated merchandise became widespread in China.
Reports at the time, including those from the South China Morning Post, indicated that some of the most popular “Squid Game”-related items sold on the Korean e-commerce platform Coupang were sourced from companies based in Chinese cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as Anhui Province.
“It is unacceptable that, in addition to illegal streaming, unauthorized merchandise is being produced for profit,” Professor Seo stated on Instagram. “This ‘stealing’ of content from other countries must cease immediately.”
milaya
