Agency denies BTS visited Irish studio or joined Michael Jackson tribute album

BTS (Big Hit Music)
BTS (Big Hit Music)

Hybe, the parent company of BTS’ agency Big Hit Music, confirmed Tuesday that the K-pop supergroup is not participating in an upcoming Michael Jackson tribute album.

“BTS has neither visited Grouse Lodge Studio in Ireland nor recorded any music there. Reports claiming the group participated in a Michael Jackson tribute album are also untrue,” Hybe said in a statement. “We are continuing to take action to prevent the spread of inaccurate information.”

On Sunday, The Irish Sun had reported that “BTS was at Grouse Lodge in Ireland and recorded one of Jackson’s unreleased tracks.” The report quickly spread across the K-pop community and BTS fan forums, with many treating the information as confirmed.

The tribute album, dubbed “Jackson’s next ‘Thriller,’” is reportedly set to be released alongside a documentary about the pop icon and his family's summer in a cow shed in County Westmeath, Ireland.

The speculation originated from Paddy Dunning, owner of Grouse Lodge — the Irish recording studio where Michael Jackson stayed with his family in 2006 while working on an unreleased album. The project was never completed, and Jackson passed away three years later.

In an interview with the Irish media outlet, Dunning claimed that BTS had visited the studio and rerecorded one of Jackson’s unreleased tracks. He added that “there’s about 10 more” songs on the tribute album, written especially for Jackson by collaborators he worked with in Ireland, including producer Rodney Jerkins and rapper Nephew, both of whom he said have signed on to the project. Recording sessions began last year.

Dunning also said he had spoken with Jackson’s estate and obtained permission to release both the song and a documentary film highlighting the late pop star’s time in Ireland.

Meanwhile, BTS members recently departed for Los Angeles to work on a new album slated for release next spring — most likely in March, as exclusively reported by The Korea Herald in June. The upcoming project marks the group's first album since “Proof” in June 2022.

All seven members had been on hiatus due to South Korea’s mandatory military service, beginning with Jin in December 2022 and concluding with Suga's discharge in June.


jaaykim@heraldcorp.com