The group BTS and their fandom, ARMY, have become the target of intense criticism following a recent incident involving fan behavior during a live stream hosted by the brand Somethinc.
The initial criticism of the fandom’s “toxic” actions quickly escalated into a wider online debate attacking the group’s past actions and perceived personality.
The Somethinc Live Stream Incident
The controversy began when a brand called Somethinc hosted a live stream. Fans reportedly directed a large amount of hate and bullying towards the host of the live stream.
BTS (Credit: YouTube)
The Host’s Distress: According to circulating social media posts, the host was visibly distressed and was “literally shaking on live,” pleading with the commenters and stating,
“If my management finds out, I could lose my job.”
- The Cause: The hate was reportedly linked to something the brand had done in the past, though the host of the live stream was not personally responsible.
- Initial Criticism: The initial backlash was directed at the toxic members of the fandom for “bullying the wrong person” and for demonstrating a sense of “fake moral superiority.” Many critics called for BIGHIT MUSIC to educate the fandom.
Criticism Escalates to the BTS Members
The criticism quickly broadened, with many netizens linking the toxic fan behavior directly to the alleged past conduct of the BTS members, arguing that the members have historically “tolerated” or “encouraged” such behavior.
BTS (Credit: Pinterest)
The main points of criticism raised by netizens included:
- Enabling Toxic Fandom Behavior (The James Corden Incident): Critics resurrected a past controversial interaction between BTS and late-night host James Corden as “proof” that the members tolerate cruelty.
- Corden had previously made a joke about ARMYs being “15-year-old girls” who don’t care about politics, which led to a minority of fans sending him death threats.
When BTS appeared on his show, they confronted Corden. As Corden nervously revealed he had received death threats, RM (the group’s leader) cut in to say,
“We appreciate your apology,” and “We accept your apology.”
- The Criticism: Netizens claim this response was “super weird and inappropriate,” arguing that RM’s response insinuated the fans were right to be angry and failed to condemn the death threats, thus “tolerating their fans’ cruel behavior live on TV” and empowering the toxic segment of the fandom.
Critics argued that since the group has never officially addressed these alleged past issues, they are unlikely to address the current issue with their fanbase.
Hypocrisy Regarding Anti-Bullying: One user specifically pointed out the perceived hypocrisy, stating that the group “has an anti-bullying campaign but their fans become an icon of bullying.”
BTS member Jungkook has recently been the target of a widespread and persistent wave of viral speculations regarding his personal life and rumored relationships.
This has sparked major concern among fans, who worry about his privacy, safety, and the negative portrayal of the idol.
The Viral Rumors
The current wave of speculation is fueled by several unverified claims circulating online:
aespa’s Winter Rumors: There are ongoing, persistent rumors attempting to link Jungkook romantically with aespa member Winter. These claims have been consistently met with backlash due to a complete lack of concrete evidence.
“Home Video” Claim: A new, highly controversial clip was recently posted and spread widely, which the poster claimed was a video of Jungkook entering his home with a “girlfriend.”
“Proof” Claims: Users attempted to link the highly-pixelated video to Jungkook by claiming the sound of the door and his voice at the end were authentic. Other unverified “proof” claims suggested he was wearing the same outfit as one he wore to a post-party event, with some users trying to link this new “girlfriend” to Winter.
AI Photo Allegations: Another user shared a purportedly “clearer picture” of the incident, which was immediately met with skepticism, with many fans pointing out that the image appeared to be an AI-generated fabrication.
Netizen and Fan Response
The online reaction to these baseless claims has been overwhelmingly one of concern, criticism, and defense of the idol.
- Safety and Stalking Concerns: Fans have consistently raised concerns for Jungkook’s safety, pointing to his history as a heavily stalked idol. The fact that a video of him entering his home (verified or not) was posted online, alongside previous incidents (like a 50-year-old woman allegedly yelling and ringing a bell outside his house), highlights a severe lack of privacy.
BTS’s Jungkook (Credit: X)
- “Womanizer” Portrayal: Many netizens expressed disgust that the idol is constantly being portrayed as a “womanizer” or being linked to multiple women simultaneously, despite never having a single public or confirmed romantic sighting. One user summarized the absurdity: “If [Jungkook] pops up, he’s dating A… If [Jungkook] skips a live, he’s dating G. Do you see the madness?”
- Lack of Evidence: Fans noted the ironic discrepancy: despite being the “most stalked idol” with multiple leaked pictures, there has never been a single clear, verifiable photo of him involved in a dating situation, suggesting the rumors are purely malicious or fabricated for “clout.”
The ongoing barrage of unverified images and videos has led fans to rally around Jungkook, voicing their frustration with the mass speculation and invasion of his personal life.
