BT21, the beloved brand associated with BTS, recently faced intense criticism after a post promoting NewJeans appeared on their social media page.
BT21, known for its range of merchandise and endearing characters representing BTS members, has become a global brand. However, it operates under LINE FRIENDS, which collaborates with various entities, including NewJeans.
On June 18, netizens were taken aback by an advertisement on BT21’s X (formerly Twitter) page promoting NewJeans products. The reaction from the BTS fanbase, known as ARMY, was swift and severe. Many fans expressed anger, feeling that BT21, which is closely tied to BTS, was being used to leverage BTS’s fame to promote another group’s products.
This sentiment was heightened by the fact that BT21 has a significantly larger following compared to the main LINE FRIENDS account.
In response to the uproar, the advertisement was quickly removed. BT21 then issued a statement in both Korean and English on their X account, explaining that the incident was due to a settings error that had since been corrected.
Prior to the deletion and apology, the hashtag “DO NOT USE BTS LINE FRIENDS” was trending worldwide, reflecting the widespread discontent among fans. The incident comes amidst an ongoing feud between HYBE, BTS’s management company, and ADOR, which adds another layer of tension to the situation.
Also read | Nagaland’s Trance Effect selected for Gwangju Busking World Cup Festival in South Korea