On March 10, the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute (Garo Sero or HoverLab Inc) made a controversial statement, unexpectedly dragging BTS into an ongoing dispute involving actor Kim Soo Hyun and the late actress Kim Sae Ron.

Garo Sero remarked, “Does Kim Soo-hyun not know who Kim Se Ui is? Legal action? BTS also said they would take legal action in the past. How did that turn out? They all ended up enlisting in the military.” Garo Sero mentioned BTS seemingly to complicate the matter further by dragging the group’s name into the controversy.

This misrepresentation angered BTS fans, ARMY, as the group’s enlistment was a voluntary decision, not a result of external pressure.

This is not the first time Garo Sero has attempted to gain attention by defaming BTS through controversial and so-called ‘exclusive coverage.’ The channel has previously dragged BTS into a drug-related controversy.

In 2023, the YouTube channel released a video falsely alleging that two members of the group were regular visitors to a hostess bar, supposedly linking them to drug cases involving BIGBANG’s G-Dragon and Parasite actor Lee Sun Kyun.

ARMY quickly condemned Garo Sero’s remarks, pointing out the channel’s repeated pattern of targeting BTS with baseless claims. Fans stressed that BTS members, beginning with the eldest Jin, enlisted as per theri own will and according to their own timelines and out of respect for their national duty. No one forced them to get into the military.

BTS’ agency, HYBE, swiftly denied these false accusations and issued a clarification statement debunking the claims.