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| BTS performs 'Fake Love' at the Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in May. Korea Times file |
By Park Jin-hai
K-pop boy band BTS, which has been under fire recently for a controversial A-bomb T-shirt and Nazi hat its members wore in the past, has officially apologized for those incidents.
The apology issued by Big Hit Entertainment, Tuesday night, stated the seven-member boy band and their agency had "no intention to cause distress or pain to anyone," and "would like to offer our sincerest apologies to anyone who has suffered pain, distress and discomfort due to our shortcomings."
BTS, currently in Japan as part of their "Love Yourself" Asia tour, caused a stir over a T-shirt bearing a photo of Koreans celebrating their 1945 liberation from Japanese occupation in one corner and another showing the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945.
Its member Jimin appeared wearing the T-shirt in a YouTube documentary filmed in March 2017. The incident prompted TV Asahi and other Japanese TV broadcasters to cancel the group's scheduled performances.
"Although the outfit had not been designed originally to injure or make light of those affected by the use of atomic weapons, we would like to sincerely apologize for failing to take the precautions that could have prevented our artist from wearing it and inadvertently inflicting pain," the statement read.
Another controversy hit the band when a Jewish human rights group took issue with photos taken in 2014 of band member RM wearing a cap bearing Nazi symbols including the swastika and footage from 2017 showing band members on stage waving flags that resemble the Nazi flag.
Saying they don't support any organizations or groups oriented towards political extremism or fascism including Nazism, Big Hit explained that the Nazi hat was part of "all apparel and accessories provided by the publication conducting the shoot."
The agency apologized for "failing to strictly review the clothing and accessories our members were made to wear," but made it clear the agency takes all responsibility for their wardrobe choices, saying the "extensive schedules and the complexities of on-site conditions" made it hard for the musicians to carefully review their attire before wearing it.
Regarding the controversial stage performance, the company explained it was during a 2017 concert commemorating the legendary Korean musician Seo Taiji where the band performed "Gyosil Idea" (classroom ideology).
The flags and images were created to carry the message of criticism against restrictively uniform and authoritarian educational systems, but had no relation with Nazism, said the agency. "In fact the performance includes creative elements that are designed to direct criticism against these very elements of totalitarianism," read the statement.
The company said they contacted associations in Japan and Korea representing atomic bomb victims and delivered a letter to the Simon Wiesenthal Center to offer explanations and apologies.
"We will carefully examine and review not only these issues but all activities involving Big Hit and our artists based on a firm understanding of diverse social, historical and cultural considerations to ensure we never cause any injury, pain or distress to anyone," the company said.
