08/09/2026
BTS has been named by The New York Times as the biggest musical act in the world since Michael Jackson đź’ś
HYBE posted a record quarter of 1.45 trillion won, around $998 million, marking the first time its quarterly revenue passed 1 trillion won as BTS’ comeback and world tour drove growth 💜
However, along witht heir great success, they have not avoided throwing themselves into controversy with their decisions.
Global K-op legends BTS have found themselves at the center of an intense and furious fandom controversy after signing a major brand endorsement deal with Google to promote its Gemini AI assistant.
The move immediately invited sharp criticism from their own supporters, especially given that some members had previously been very vocal about their dislike of generative AI.
Adding fuel to the fire, the members have continued to draw heavy flak by talking about using generative AI in their personal lives or posting AI-generated content on social media.
The growing conflicting feelings within the fanbase exploded after a TikTok user published an entire fictional series featuring an AI-generated video of Jimin. The viral clip depicted a clichéd storyline of Jimin falling in love with a fan at a concert, looking so realistic that it left many completely unsettled.
While a large portion of the fandom labeled the digital creations “cringe” and embarrassing, many supporters argued that BTS had completely opened the floodgates through their own actions, leaving them with no right to stop others from feeding the members’ likenesses into artificial intelligence.
Social media has turned into an absolute battleground as netizens clash over the group’s controversial corporate choices.
On top of that, On August 13 (KST), J-Hope posted a video on Instagram revealing that he and RM had attended Chris Brown’s concert.
The appearance immediately drew strong reactions from netizens, who pointed to the singer’s long history of allegations and controversies. Some fans expressed shock that the BTS members had traveled to Canada specifically to attend his show, while others questioned the decision given BTS’s predominantly female fanbase.
