On September 14, BTS’s Jungkook made headlines after a cryptic post on his dog Bam’s Instagram account, sparked widespread speculation among K-pop fans.

The post, the first update since April 2024, featured a picture of Bam along with the caption, “Artists are not guilty,” and five heart emojis.
Fans were quick to interpret the post as Jungkook showing support for the members of NewJeans amid the ongoing conflict between HYBE, new ADOR, and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin.
The color of the heart emojis matched the colors NewJeans used in previous promotions, leading fans to believe that Jungkook was subtly standing up for the group amidst the drama.
THE HEART COLORS ARE IN THE SAME EXACT ORDER TOO (newjeans’ age order)
— ban heesoo (@rkvjeans) September 14, 2024
💙 – Minji
🩷 – Hanni
💛 – Danielle
💚 – Haerin
💜 – Hyein
Jungkook, you deserve the world!!! pic.twitter.com/YVCcL9fpXl
Shortly after the first post, Jungkook made a second update on the same account, sharing another picture of Bam with the caption, “Don’t use them.”
This post fueled further speculation, with many wondering if Jungkook was referring to the NewJeans members being caught in the middle of the ongoing dispute involving HYBE and Min Hee Jin.
The cryptic posts divided opinions among fans. Some saw them as a clear show of support for the NewJeans members, while others speculated that the Instagram account might have been hacked, given the gravity of the situation.
"DONT USE THEM"..
— LEi.k○○k ||| 🎧 TEAM TALONG 🍆 (@jklovesme22) September 14, 2024
THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS.
IF JUNGKOOK'S ACCNT WERE HACK SANA MAG POST SYA SA WEVERSE LIKE WHAT HAPPENS NUNG BINURA NYA IG NYA.
IF SYA TALAGA TO. THEN HE HAS THE BALLS TO SPEAK UP ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING SA COMPANY NILA. pic.twitter.com/iCz0oAZHVj
hacking a dog’s instagram account wtf leave jungkook alone
— valeria⚡️ (@purinzdodok) September 14, 2024
y’all drag bts but hack their accounts for validation https://t.co/dKf2ndnqlq
As the speculation continued to grow, Big Hit Music, BTS’s agency, addressed the issue. In an official statement to My Daily, Big Hit Music clarified the reasoning behind Jungkook’s posts.
The agency stated, “We have confirmed that he posted it because he thought that under no circumstances should a young artist be dragged into a dispute and used as a shield.” The statement reinforced Jungkook’s stance, highlighting his concern over young artists being caught in industry conflicts.
#JUNGKOOK of #BTS shared a post supporting #NewJeans, stating young artists should not be used as shields in conflicts.
— K Verse Life (@KVerselife) September 14, 2024
Big Hit Music confirmed this, explaining the post was made with the intent to protect young artists. pic.twitter.com/N9iISRCUP9
With both posts stirring strong emotions, Jungkook has once again shown his commitment to supporting his fellow artists, making a statement on their behalf while also raising awareness about the pressures they face in the entertainment industry.