Celebrities and controversy go hand in hand. The bigger the star, the juicier the scandal. Regardless of their intentions, a misconstrued remark, an accidental gaffe, or even a piece of clothing might land unwitting stars in a hot scoop headline. This is especially true in the world of K-pop. K-pop idols are held to such high standards in an image-conscious industry that any lapse is met with harsh criticism and judgment. Even the kings of K-pop, BTS, are not immune to it. Here are some of the biggest controversies and scandals that BTS has encountered over the years.
Trigger warning: This content contains the topics of driving under the influence, cultural appropriation and more sensitive issues.
Idols are expected to follow a tight training schedule and code of behaviour both on and off-stage from the moment they join an entertainment agency as trainees. Even the smallest deviation from the norm might result in significant backlash for the celebrity. K-pop singers are frequently scrutinised for trivial actions, ranging from dating scandals to smoking, and BTS is no exception. As they rose to prominence in K-pop and made their mark on the global music industry, they too encountered their fair share of challenges and controversies. Recently, the DUI case of BTS Suga has once again shed light on the constant criticism the idols experience for every mistake they make. We look at the scandals that BTS and its members have faced, how they occurred, and how the K-pop band and their management team handled the situations.
All the major controversies and scandals BTS members have faced throughout their careers
Controversial outfits and accessories
One of the biggest scandals BTS encountered was when a photo of the band was released, showing one of the members donning a hat with a Nazi-like symbol. This came shortly after another member, Jimin, faced criticism for wearing a t-shirt featuring a picture of an atomic blast and Korean independence slogans, hinting at Japan’s World War II past. The band was accused of mocking Holocaust victims. Japanese nationalists took the incident seriously and cancelled the band’s appearance on a Japanese television show.
The management agency of BTS Big Hit Entertainment quickly apologised for the scandal, saying, “Sincere apologies not only for failing to take the precautions that could have prevented the wearing of such clothing by our artist that inadvertently inflicted pain on anyone affected by the use of atomic weapons, but to anyone who may have experienced distress and discomfort by witnessing the association of our artists with imagery related to atomic bombings”.
Misogynistic lyrics
Some of BTS’ songs in their early years, such as “War of Hormone” and RM’s “Joke” received criticism for their misogynistic themes. The song ‘War of Hormone’ had words like “women are the best gift” and “wear high heels more often,” which many netizens claimed objectified women.
The scandal gained traction after RM released his mixtape with the song “Joke”. The song contains the lyric, “You’re the best woman, being bossy. You’re really good at being bossy / But now that I think about it, you were never the boss. Instead of boss, I’ll say gonorrhoea.” The inappropriate and misogynistic lyrics sparked an uproar. The agency stepped in and apologised to fans who were offended by the lyrics. They said that this was not their intention at all and promised to be more careful in the future.
BTS Smoking scandals
Taehyung is smoking at the Grammy Awards pic.twitter.com/RlYdh6kvoh
— Amazed By BTS (@mazedbybts) April 4, 2022
Over time, many BTS members have been caught smoking and every time, it leaves fans divided. BTS V was photographed smoking ahead of their Grammy’s performance in 2022. After that, Jungkook was photographed while smoking outside of a restaurant. Even though both of them are of the legal age for smoking, it is a huge taboo in South Korea, especially for celebrities, sparking a huge controversy within the fandom. Some fans were heartbroken because it ruined the perfect idol image they had in their mind.
people shitting and crying over namjoon smoking like if anything he would be the first member to come to mind if you asked me who smokes sorry pic.twitter.com/vnIvr3VD7P
— lilly⁷✶⑰ (@goldwingsfallin) November 10, 2023
Leader RM shared a pic of him smoking in his Instagram stories but he quickly deleted it. On his solo album ‘Right Place, Wrong Person’ he addressed the smoking incident singing “Smoking kills, I know/It’s my f******g business, you b*** ..”
Plagiarism allegations
안녕하세요. 방탄소년단 랩몬스터입니다. 저는 MAMA를 위해 홍콩에 와 있습니다. 오늘 방탄소년단에게는 무척 중요한 날이지만 이 일 또한 정말 중요하고 반드시 제가 직접 말씀드릴 일이라 생각돼 글을… https://t.co/R9S3GiDfn8
— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) December 2, 2015
BTS has faced multiple plagiarism charges during their career. In 2014, BTS members RM, J-Hope, and Suga were accused of stealing lyrics from multiple musicians including Drake, E-Sens, DOK2, YOU, SoNyeoRadio, Kim Gaeri, Gaeko, Yankee, Swings, and BIGBANG’s TOP.
Initially, the group denied these accusations, but as criticism mounted, RM took to X/Twitter and issued an honest apology in 2015 admitting to the crime. However, on May 28 2024, a post titled “HYBE’s Crimes Involving BTS’s Plagiarism” became viral. In the post, an individual claimed that HYBE twisted BTS’s plagiarism allegations to make the group appear to be victims. Some netizens continued to point out that HYBE is attempting to deceive fans by portraying how the group is always subjected to injustice even after admitting the allegations were true. Meanwhile, the group has faced numerous plagiarism charges for “Butter” and Jungkook’s solo song “Seven,” which they have refuted.
Sajaegi accusations
One of the most critical scandals BTS faced in their early days was sajaegi or music chart manipulation, which has claimed the careers of many groups and musicians. It all started with their 2015 single ‘I Need U’ off their mini-album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life – Part 1 (HYYH Part 1). The album topped some major South Korean music charts, and HYYH Part 1 became the best-selling album, beating BIGBANG.
BTS was fairly new to the music scene at the time, while Big Hit was a small label. Thus, many netizens found it difficult to believe that they had beaten BIGBANG of YG Entertainment. Big Hit was accused of sajaegi, but the label promptly denied the claims, claiming they did not have the resources to do so. The issue eventually went away when BTS became a global sensation.
However, following the conflict between HYBE and ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin, KOCCA announced an investigation into BTS on the charges of chart manipulation. Despite some K-netizens protesting the decision, citing it as an attempt to undermine the group’s success, the Korean Creative Content Agency confirmed receipt of an official complaint against BTS, with accusations of chart manipulation. They will soon begin the investigation.
Death threats
Whenever BTS make public appearances, they are surrounded by hundreds of bodyguards, and this is due to more than their status as global pop idols. BTS members have received death threats on numerous occasions. While the incidents do not count as controversies, they are extremely disturbing. When BTS visited the United States in 2015 for their The Red Bullet concert tour, RM received several death threats. Many suggested that the reason could be RM’s controversial interview in Australia, when he said, “When I first saw V and J-Hope, I couldn’t see them because they were too black.” Many fans thought the comment was racist, and RM began to get death threats on social media.
RM is not the only member of BTS who has received death threats, as Jimin received the same in 2017. The perpetrator claimed to have two accomplices, sharing photographs of guns and warning that they would kill Jimin during the event. Police provided protection for the members, and security was on high alert. In 2022, V and Jimin both received massive amounts of threats from fan communities on Weverse. The reason? Overly passionate netizens were attempting to get rid of the members in order to defend and protect the celebrity relationships they adored!
RM accused of Islamophobia
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BTS leader RM once shared a screenshot of Frank Oceans’s song “Bad Decision” on his Instagram stories. The 2012 song faced criticism for referencing the phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’, and so the rapper received huge backlash from fans after posting about the song on his social media handle. Fans expressed their disappointment in his supporting the song, but other fans also came to his defence.
During a live session, RM addressed the incident, saying, “I know what’s going on in my Instagram, I can see. But I never… there was no such any purpose or at least one percent of my heart or intention to insult a religion okay? Guys, it’s a song, okay? I am not apologising, I am just saying.”
BTS Suga’s DUI Case
On August 6 2024, Suga was arrested by authorities for operating an electric scooter while intoxicated. He was near his home in Yongsan district’s Hannam area. According to the police, his breathalyser test revealed that his blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent at the time, well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent, warranting the cancellation of his licence. The next day, the rapper took to Weverse to voice his apology. He wrote “Hello. This is Suga. It is with a very heavy and apologetic heart that I have to come to you with such disappointment. After drinking at dinner last night, I rode home on an electric kickboard. I violated road traffic laws without realising that I was not allowed to use an electric kickboard while drunk due to the simple thought that it was a short distance away.”
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슈가 퇴출 촉구 트럭 총공
1일차 시작합니다 pic.twitter.com/LRCE4QRYtO— 트럭 화환 총공 계정 (@idoitsueit) September 2, 2024
On August 16, protest trucks surrounded the HYBE headquarters, demanding Suga’s dismissal from BTS. The vehicles were carrying signage that read “7-1=6.” The army will fill the gap, so drunk driver SUGA OUT.” Initially, everyone assumed angry fans were protesting, but it turned out that one NCT fan may have orchestrated the whole conundrum.
Celebrities who directly or indirectly shown their support for SUGA
– El Capitxn
– Lee Min Jin (author of Pachinko)
– Park Sohee
– Alicia Hannah-Kim
– Miu Sakamoto
– PSY
– Lea Salonga
– Epik High playing Spring Day at their concert
– Woosung playing Snooze during The Rose… pic.twitter.com/rSACK8xyHS— paula⁷ (@sugatheartist) August 29, 2024
Some Netizens harshly criticised the musician, while the majority of ARMYs (BTS supporters) stood with him. A few Korean stars also showed their support for the singer. On August 25, Min Yoongi aka Suga issued another apology, claiming that the initial one was hastily posted. Suga has admitted to the DUI charges and the case has now been forwarded to prosecution without detention. And for those who are confused about the timeline: It is true that Suga has been serving his mandatory military service. However, he is currently doing so as a social service representative, which permits him to return home after his shift.
(Main and featured image: BTS_official/X)
This story first appeared here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Suga's DUI case that's now in prosecution is currently the ongoing scandal in BTS.
Jungkook was papped smoking outside a restaurant, he also had a dating scandal a few years ago.
Generally, BTS or HYBE comments on the issue on their official social media handle.
Jimin was spotted wearing a t-shirt featuring a atomic bomb blast and Korean independence slogans which made Japan officials upset.
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After graduating from Calcutta University, Pallabi started her writing career as a freelancer. "She's so pieces" is the phrase that describes her the best. Pallabi is another typical introvert who loves to hide behind written words. Music is her comfort language. Binge-watching and eating delicious foods is her favourite pastime.
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