Fans outraged at lawmaker’s call for two BTS members to perform at jamboree K-pop concert
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Of the seven members of BTS, Jin and J-Hope are now serving their 18-month military duty.
PHOTOS: JIN, UARMYHOPE/INSTAGRAM
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SEOUL – Fans of the globally popular K-pop group BTS are expressing outrage over a South Korean politician’s call for two of the band’s members, who are now serving in the military, to perform at the World Scout Jamboree’s K-pop Super Live concert in Seoul.
Mr Sung Il-jong of the ruling People Power Party requested last Friday that the Ministry of National Defence send the two BTS members serving in the military to the World Scout Jamboree’s concert.
“The World Scout Jamboree held in Saemangeum, North Jeolla province, was an event that damaged our national prestige due to its lack of preparation and poor management,” wrote Mr Sung in a Facebook post. “I urge the Ministry of National Defence to allow all members of BTS serving in the military to perform at the jamboree’s K-pop concert on the 11th to restore our country’s dignity.”
Of the seven members, Jin and J-Hope are now serving their 18-month military duty.
Several BTS fans have expressed their anger over Mr Sung’s Facebook post, saying the request was an example of an “abuse of governmental authority” and “a regression of democracy”.
A post written by a BTS fan on X – the social media platform previously known as Twitter – read: “BTS is just a K-pop group that’s associated with South Korea and does not belong to the government.”
Another post read: “Why should BTS cover up the mess you made?”
Mr Kim Gi-hyeon, leader of the People Power Party, said the issue raised by Mr Sung has not been discussed with the entire party. “It’s an area that Mr Sung is particularly interested in.”
With other major K-pop groups such as NewJeans and NCT Dream scheduled to perform during the concert, several fans of other K-pop groups have also voiced their concerns. A thread of posts being shared by K-pop fans on X read: “K-pop artistes are not public workers who have an obligation to restore South Korea’s dignity and prestige. The government must stop abusing its power in the pop culture industry.”
The K-pop Super Live concert is scheduled to be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo district, western Seoul, on Friday at 7pm local time (6pm Singapore time). It was initially scheduled to be held at Saemangeum, but the venue was moved because of the incoming Typhoon Khanun. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
