The contract renewal of 2018 was still pre-Dynamite/mega soft power BTS. So their leverage back then isn't as good as it is now. The reason I'm saying this hopefully optimistic take is that on SEVERAL occasions, we've seen members voice their frustration with the pricing of their merch and albums. Jin in particular has been voicing out these concerns for the last two years. Going into 2024-2026, BTS, for their stature, and the billions of dollars they bring to Hybe and South Korea, should no longer be in a position where Hybe has the upper hand. They made this monster of a company and there should be no way they can't control how much their merch/albums should cost and how their merch/album should be distributed.
What's your opinion, AKP ARMY?