BTS members receive higher compensation after an appeal ruling
BTS appeared to find themselves at the center major legal decision after a South Korean court increased compensation in a defamation case involving members V and Jungkook. On January 23, 2026, the Civil Appeals Division 2-1 of the Seoul Western District Court delivered its appeal ruling in a damages lawsuit filed by Big Hit Music, V, and Jungkook. The case was directed against the operator of the YouTube channel Taldeok Sooyongso, who had made and posted videos containing harmful and unverified rumors about the two BTS members.
The court raises damages for V and Jungkook
The appellate court overturned part of the original ruling that had gone against V and Jungkook, which seemed to have stated they had lost. This time, the court ordered the defendant to pay an additional 5 million won to each member of the group. As a result, V’s compensation increased to 15 million won, while Jungkook’s rose to 20 million won. The court also ruled on the division of appeal costs, requiring the defendant to share half of the costs with V and two-thirds with Jungkook.
Total compensation reaches 86 million won
In the first trial held in 2025, the court had already ordered compensations of 10 million won to V, 15 million won to Jungkook, and 51 million won to Big Hit Music, the idols’ agency. With the appeal ruling added, the total compensation now stands at 86 million won if the decision becomes final. The Taldeok Sooyongso channel operator has faced multiple lawsuits for similar content involving other celebrities, including IVE’s Wonyoung and Daniel Kang. V and Jungkook filed their lawsuit in 2024, seeking nearly 90 million won in damages alongside their agency.