BTS have had a TV appearance in Japan cancelled over a controversial T-shirt.
The seven-member K-pop group had been due to appear on TV Asahi’s flagship show ‘Music Station’ on Friday evening but the broadcaster axed their slot after a photo of singer Jimin wearing a top that appeared to celebrate the Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945 went viral.
The back of the shirt featured bore pictures of a mushroom cloud created by an atomic bomb and of Koreans celebrating their liberation from Japanese rule in August 1975, and text repeating the words “Patriotism
TV Asahi said: “We have seen news that a T-shirt worn by one of the members has set off a furore. After asking their record company about this, we made the decision to postpone their appearance on our Nov 9 show.”
BTS have apologised for the cancellation but didn’t refer to the controversial garment, which the 23-year-old singer was believed to have worn on 15 August last year, the date Koreans mark the anniversary of the end of Japanese occupation.
The group simply said: “We apologise for disappointing fans who were looking forward to this. BTS will continue their efforts to connect with fans on stage and also through music.”
The ‘Fake Love/Airplane Pt 2’ band, who are also known as the Bangtan Boys, are preparing to embark on a Japanese tour, which will begin in Tokyo next week.
During World War II, atomic bombs were used for the first and only time in a war when they were dropped on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, killing hundreds of thousands instantly. Many more died in later years as a result of radiation sickness.
Bang Showbiz