CU, a convenience store brand, partnered up with KBS’s Song Festival 2019 and announced that they’ll be giving away 530 tickets to the famous end-of-the-year K-Pop ceremony.
But during one of the posters, they added the caption: “The last performance by the global No. 1 idols before their enlistment.”
Netizens were quick to catch on that they were referring to BTS and how Jin and Suga will most likely be enlisting for their mandatory service sometime next year.
ARMYs were outraged that CU would market their ticket giveaway with false claims as BTS still has many more performances planned within the next months to come.
Some fans even vowed to boycott the brand.
We’re never stepping foot at any CU in South Korea anymore.
No to CU.
— BTS Global Noona (@BTSGlobalNoona_) December 2, 2019
CU promoted their event on tickets for KBS가요대축제 saying 'the last performance of Global No.1 Idol before military service'
This is crazy or what? I have a right reason to boycott CU now. #방탄소년단 #BTS @BTS_twt https://t.co/ADQLGImmZ8 pic.twitter.com/yQYBt5KBzT
— 💘호홍:) (@HOHONGHONGHONG_) December 2, 2019
We’re also sorry because we’ll be promoting GS25, 7-11 and Family Mart under your tweet so ARMYs will know not to go to any CU stores anymore.
— BTS Global Noona (@BTSGlobalNoona_) December 2, 2019
As the heat grew, CU took down the poster and uploaded an official apology to their Twitter.
안녕하세요. CU 홍보담당자입니다.
금일 포켓CU 어플리케이션 내 가요대축제 이벤트 홍보 문구와 관련하여,
잘못된 워딩으로 팬들에게 실망을 안겨드린 점 진심으로 사과드립니다.— CU (@BGFretail) December 2, 2019
해당 이벤트에 소중한 관심과 응원으로 참여해주신 팬분들과
출연진의 마음에 깊은 상처가 될 수 있는 소지를 간과한 채
좋은 기회라는 의미를 담고 싶었던 마음이 너무 앞섰습니다.
적절하지 못한 표현으로
이벤트 홍보를 진행한 점에 대해 다시 한 번 사과의 말씀을 드립니다.— CU (@BGFretail) December 2, 2019
본 홍보 문구는 현재 게재 중단 중에 있으며,
수정된 문구로 재업로드 할 예정입니다.CU를 사랑해주시는 고객 여러분께
본 홍보 문구로 인해 실망을 안겨드려 죄송합니다.
앞으로 더욱 고객들의 목소리에 귀 기울이는 CU가 되기 위해 더욱 노력하겠습니다.
감사합니다.— CU (@BGFretail) December 2, 2019
Hello. This is CU’s marketing team.
We sincerely apologize for disappointing the fans with our wording mistake on the Song Festival even promotion in our PocketCU app.
We went too far in our desire to emphasize the good opportunity and instead used words that could leave a deep scar on the participating fans and the artists.
We want to apologize once again for going forward with a promotional event with inappropriate wordings.
The poster has been taken down and we plan to upload it again after fixing the wording.
We apologize to our customers who love CU for disappointing them with our marketing phrase.
We will work harder to become a company that listens to their customers even better.
Thank you.
— CU
KBS’s Song Festival will be taking place on December 27 with a star-studded lineup of BTS, TWICE, Red Velvet, GOT7, ITZY and more.
