It seemed more of a vague comment from a wildly popular boy band known for its open armed inclusion than any obvious provocation.
But while the leader of the Korean pop group BTS recently acknowledged the shared suffering of Americans and Koreans at a celebration of the Korean War, Internet users in China wasted no time in recording their crime.
Chinese social media is full of outrage that BTS leader, Kim Nam-jun, who performs under the stage name RM (formerly Rap Rap Monster), also does not recognize the sacrifices of Chinese soldiers fighting alongside North Korea.
Then came a familiar dance for multinational companies doing business in China: two leading brands removed any trace of their collaboration with the band on Chinese websites.
First of all, the shiny special edition purple smartphone made for BTS disappeared from Samsung’s Chinese website and other e-commerce platforms in the country on Monday.
Hours later, posts referring to BTS were found to have been scrubbed from sportswear company Phila’s Facial Weibo account. BTS has been the brand ambassador for Phila since 2019.
The move is aimed at raising awareness of the types of boycotts and other angry moves that Chinese consumers have raised against brands that are thought to be driven by a sense of patriotism.
Events The events began during the Virtual Awards Ceremony on October, when the Korea Society, a New York-based for-profit organization, presented BTS with an award that recognizes the advancement of US-Korean relations.
During the ceremony, RMA said in reference to the Korean War, which began years ago: “We will always remember the history of suffering of our two nations together and the sacrifices of countless men and women.”
The war probably killed 200,000 or more South Korean soldiers and about 37,000 American soldiers, while China estimates that in addition to millions of civilians, 180,000 Chinese soldiers also died.
After a social media storm over the band’s trivial matter, China’s deputy director of foreign affairs, Zhao Lijia, weighed in.
When asked by reporters at a news briefing on Monday, he said, “I have also noted the relevant reports and the reaction of Chinese netizens.” “We must learn from history and look to the future by inspiring peace and advancing our friendship.”
This Global Times, The strict nationalist Chinese state tabloid, which extensively reports on the BTS reversal, says members of the group should also acknowledge the damage done by their country’s longtime enemy ally. The band’s comments show a “one-sided attitude” and a “neglected history,” the tabloid said.
The hashtags “No idols come before my country” and “BTS insulted China” were trending in China.
Jolly Liu, a 21-year-old medical student in Guangzhou, said she was reconsidering the band’s support. In a phone interview on Monday, she said she was angry with her remarks, which she learned after watching a live-stream video of a BTS concert on Saturday.
“We can’t force them to hold political views like ours, but you get our money and support here, then you should take note of it and respect every country.”
Others said they felt the band members deserved their own opinions as South Koreans, although they should probably remain silent on the matter.
Wuhan Internet user Qin Xiaxin said in a phone interview on Monday that he was proud that his grandfather had fought in the war against the Americans and that BTS’s comments were inappropriate, believing he should avoid political issues.
“We are two countries, so we will have differences when it comes to issues related to the sovereignty of the respective countries. That is for sure, “she said. “Because there’s no one who doesn’t love their country, right?”
Some said they had trouble seeing what was so insulting. One Weibo user, nicknamed “I’m a Catfish,” suggested that it would be unnatural to mention historical enemies during a war tribute.
“China and South Korea fought on the opposite side. Surely there will not be a single South Korean who celebrates the war by thanking the Chinese, ”the user wrote on Sunday. “If the whole world wanted to take care of the feelings of the Chinese, couldn’t we also try to understand how the Korean people feel?”
Samsung’s representatives in China and South Korea did not immediately respond to an e-mail request for comment. Fila representatives in China could not immediately be reached for comment. BTS Interest Entertainment, the agency that manages BTS, did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
The controversy comes just days before the Big Hit’s initial public offering fur is set to unveil in Seoul, with the company expected to be worth 4 4 billion.
BTS is just the latest in a long line of international celebrities and brands who have found themselves on the wrong side of the Chinese government and consumers.
Chinese state broadcasters stopped showing NBA games for a year after a team executive in Hong Kong posted support on Twitter for anti-government protesters.
After Dolce & Gabbana published an ad with stereotypes containing many racist and derogatory remarks, Chinese social platforms were flooded with videos of consumers burning and ruining fashion brand products.
Companies have also pulled products after news outlets in the state reported damage to national pride. The coaches of luxury brands, Givenchy and Versace, apologized for the T-shirt design in 2019, which appeared to portray Hong Kong as a separate territory, interpreting it as undermining Chinese sovereignty.
Gap apologized in 2018 after showing T-shirts with a map of China, parts of Taiwan, Tibet, and islands in the South China Sea, which, from Beijing’s point of view, belong to China.
Coral Yang, Su-Hyun Lee and Claire Fu contributed to the research.
