Idol Group Faces Backlash For Allegedly Doing The Nazi Salute On Stage

An idol group is receiving backlash from Korean netizens for allegedly doing the Nazi salute during a stage performance.

The group in concern is a Japanese idol group called THE RAMPAGE. It is a 16-member group formed by LDH Japan, and is a part of the collective supergroup EXILE TRIBE.

They recently performed their newly-released single, “SOLDIER LOVE,” on a music show, wow-ing fans with their live vocals and performance. However, a particular portion of the choreography is going viral on Korean forums, where all the members seem to be hitting a pose eerily similar to the Nazi salute.

A Korean netizen pointed out this odd choreography on TheQoo, drawing attention to the issue. The OP (original poster) also mentioned that the agency of THE RAMPAGE, LDH, allegedly believes in far-right wing ideologies and that the lyrics of “SOLDIER LOVE” contain references to Kamikaze, one of the Special Attack Units of Imperial Japan. The stage floor’s design also vaguely resembled the emblem of Waffen-SS, the paramilitary organization of the German Nazi Party.

(˃̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣ ) pic.twitter.com/7XnuZag3Xb

— kawamura (@kawamurachn) December 22, 2023

The “Waffen-SS” emblem | *Wikimedia Commons*

The floor design of the performance | *theqoo*

With all these details considered, most netizens are reluctant to give the group any benefit of the doubt that the salute was only coincidental and harshly criticized the performance.

“Even Germans are ashamed of the history, so why (are they glorifying it)?”
“Crazy.”
“I was wondering where they are from, it turns out they’re under Exile, LOL.”
“(In Japanese) This is Japan~ Please die ~~~~”
“Japan doesn’t educate its people on history properly, and that’s why they do things like this. They don’t even know how to be ashamed.”