Kim Jang-hwan, chairman of Far East Broadcasting Company, spoke out against BTS during a sermon on March 20. He prefaced his remarks by saying, “We live in a time where even at the age of 90, one must be careful with what they say,” adding, “This is a place for educational sermons, so I will speak my mind.”
Addressing BTS’ decision to hold their comeback concert at Gwanghwamun, Kim stated, “I don’t understand why they would choose the Central Government Complex (Gwanghwamun) when there are plenty of other venues available.” He continued, “If it were me, I would have held it in a wide-open space like Saemangeum in North Jeolla Province.”
He also took issue with the scale of administrative resources deployed for the event, noting, “They say 6,500 police officers will be mobilized are they protecting six singers?”
Kim further criticized BTS’ music itself, remarking, “This is not even child’s play,” and adding, “I can’t understand what their lyrics are or what kind of songs they are singing.”
Following the public release of his comments, immediate backlash emerged, including from within his own organization. On March 24, the Far East Broadcasting Company labor union issued an official statement condemning his remarks. They described them as “a display of disdain for popular culture that fails to recognize the immense global influence of K-pop and BTS across the music market and industry.” The union also added that “such statements, coming from a figure with public influence, lack the necessary level of caution.”
Sources: Nate