4 Situations That Had K-Pop Fans Enraged In 2020
2020 has been a crazy year for K-Pop, as it has been filled with moments that had fans incredibly upset. Here are 4 situations that had K-Pop fans enraged in 2020.
1. Actress Shallon Lester’s comments about BTS and MONSTA X
In a now-deleted video, actress Shallon Lester made some comments about BTS and MONSTA X that had fans incredibly upset. In the video, she held up a BTS x FILA poster and stated that they “looked like women”.
We have the women of BTS. I don’t get it. I don’t – Look at these people. I don’t even know what to call them, boys or girls, because I don’t know what they are.
— Shallon Lester
She then held up a photo of MONSTA X and stated that they “looked just like BTS”.
You can’t fool me, this is also BTS. You might say that it’s Monsta X, but they have the same haircut, they’ve got the same weird contacts, there’s no way that these are different people. There’s just no way these are different people.
— Shallon Lester
K-Pop fans criticized the actress for her comments, as they felt that they were racist and ignorant.
Shallon Lester I can assure you that in no shape or form monsta x look like BTS. You are just a blatantly racist and ignorant person who pushes the narrative that "all asian men look alive". Grow up pic.twitter.com/WKPG8OBiJA
— Aree (@prodbymx) April 19, 2020
Shallon lester saying such disgusting & racist comments towards BT5 and other kpop artist… i'm lost for words after watching this, how can someone be so ignorant and so racist towards another race? it's not right pic.twitter.com/nOtBkm0zE0
— mesᴮᴱ⁷ #TeamBTS (@mes_bts) April 19, 2020
2. Fanatics getting sexually harassed by a male staff member
In a live broadcast, four of the Fanatics members (Via, Chaelin, Doi, and Rayeon) were seen wearing short skirts and had no blankets or jackets to cover their legs. A person was then shown giving jackets to the members to cover their legs.
However, after the jackets were given, the sound of someone getting slapped could be heard, as well as a male staff member asking why they covered the members’ legs.
What are you doing, covering [their legs] up? We’re trying to show them, why are you covering it? Are you stupid?
— Male staff
Fans and netizens were enraged due to this, saying that the members were victims of sexual harassment.
“What kind of man is that male staff?”
“I think if I was their parents, my heart would collapse after seeing that.”
“I feel so upset, seeing the members’ faces.”
— Netizens
Fanatics’ agency, FENT, soon released an apology regarding this incident.
3. FNC Entertainment not stopping former AOA member Jimin’s bullying of Mina
Former AOA member Mina recently made headlines when she revealed that she was bullied and tormented by Jimin during their time together in the group.
Not only that, but Mina also stated that FNC Entertainment, AOA’s agency, didn’t do anything to stop the bullying.
At the end of everything, even in my half-idiot state of not being able to open my eyes properly and stumbling on my words because of taking hundreds of sleeping pills, I told FNC that it was because of Jimin, and yet the company did not listen to what I had to say.
— Mina
Fans were furious after this got revealed, as they criticized FNC Entertainment for not intervening despite knowing about the bullying.
…I’m so angry at Jimin and FNC for allowing Mina to be treated and hurt like this
— Gabby ♚ (@loonacapsule) July 3, 2020
@FNC_ENT Why the FUCK didn't you listen to Mina???? She told you EVERYTHING and you still didn't do ANYTHING.
Is FNC Entertainment actually condoning bullying, even to this extent?
Jimin needs to be kicked out of AOA AND FNC Entertainment.
— FascinatesMo 🍀 (@FascinatesMo) July 3, 2020
4. JYJ’s Jaejoong lying about contracting COVID-19
On March 31st, Jaejoong posted on his Instagram account that he had contracted COVID-19 and was being hospitalized.
I have contracted Coronavirus.
It was careless of me to live disregarding all of the cautions provided by the government and those around me.
Just how big could one individual’s behavior impact all of society be…
I am sorry to those who could have been infected by me.
The stupid judgments I made, it’s how I became like this. I lived thinking it would never happen to me.
I am currently hospitalized.
I currently feel grateful and apologetic, reflecting on my past.
There are so many things I want to say…
There are so many people I want to see…
— Jaejoong
However, the very next day, he revealed that it was all an April Fool’s joke. Jaejoong faced immense backlash from fans and netizens for his “joke”, as many claimed that it was wrong of him to joke about something that has negatively affected many people in the world. Not only that, but a lot of Jaejoong’s schedules got canceled due to the amount of backlash he was facing.
Jaejoong, you’re trending worldwide. Is this what you wanted when you posted that on IG? If you really wished to raise awareness on COVID-19, you could’ve done it in a different way. People around the world are suffering bc of this, yet you just had to pull this kind of “joke”.
— 딸기사슴 (@paulisteu2618) April 1, 2020
Corona virus is not a joke. That was so low of Jaejoong to joke about it.
— Joy ⏳ ia (@KlMFIX) April 1, 2020