BTS V’s latest Instagram post has sparked a backlash online.
On July 21, KST, the singer posted a series of old pictures on his Instagram, which included a picture of a bag of fries from McDonald’s.
View this post on Instagram
While BTS’s association with McDonald’s isn’t new, in the current global climate, the brand carries bigger implications than just a fast-food chain. It is one of the top brands named as a boycott target by the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement. After Israel launched its deadly attacks on the civilians of the Gaza Strip, which the International Court of Justice recognized as crimes against humanity, McDonald’s started donating free meals to the Israeli army. After the boycott against the brand intensified globally, McDonald’s bought all its Israeli restaurants. That, however, didn’t change BDS’s stance on the boycott since the move only amplified the fast-food chain’s investment in Israel.
.@McDonalds is bowing to BDS pressure by getting rid of its genocide-feeding Israeli franchisee. But this won’t stop the boycott because it’s doing it exactly the wrong way. https://t.co/PvTK5Lk4V0
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) April 8, 2024
A significant part of ARMYs, both Palestinians and allies, have been campaigning for months, urging HYBE to cut ties with Zionism. In the more recent months, the group has urged BTS directly to speak up in solidarity with Palestinians. So, amidst this sensitive situation, V’s post featuring the McDonald’s fries has caused deep hurt in their fan community.
Your fans have retrieved your photocards from under the rubble, and you go ahead and post Mcdonald’s, which supports and funds the occupation army that bombs and kills your fans. This is so so wrong and immoral, and it will leave a permanent mark on your humanity. pic.twitter.com/RX2UbTe1A0
— ari (@falastinari) July 21, 2024
“this is just haunting. pic.twitter.com/FMya29vo01″
— s (@yoongienthusias) July 21, 2024
so mcdonalds is on the bds list, it is one of the main companies we’re boycotting and seeing tae post that pic, while the next post was a beheaded child made me stop in my tracks. im so speechless and dissappointed idk what to do
— mari (sunwoo’s gf) (@thvswoo) July 21, 2024
Being disappointed and then Holding them accountable and calling them out on their ignorance and wanting them to do better, bcoz you KNOW they’re better than this, all of that comes from a place of love btw. Hope u know that.
I wouldn’t gaf if I didn’t love them!
— pb⁷ Yoongi misser🍉 (@snoozingyoongi) July 21, 2024
Some felt that it was an unfortunate consequence of pro-Palestinian fans being censored heavily by their co-fans in online spaces, which prevented the BTS members from even knowing what their fans were asking of them.
this whole “they don’t know” excuse is ridiculous because whose fault is that??? no one expects them to know everything hence why those of us who have knowledge should share it with them so they can learn. but who keeps reporting ANY form of communicating this to bts?
— jungkook brainrot⁷ (@jvngkku) July 21, 2024
armys have been getting pulled out from underneath the rubble and yet your only concern is people trying to educate a grown adult about an ethnic cleansing that mcd has shown support for. ok https://t.co/FCWUZIBe4f
— ٍ (@lesbahng) July 21, 2024
Meanwhile, others argued that the members have enough access to the internet to know what the world is witnessing right now. Many even pointed out that V, unlike his other bandmates, is posted in Seoul, and the city has been seeing pro-Palestinian marches every week. So, the chances of him being ignorant about the issue might be even slimmer.
“these men are grown ups and there are constantly protests in the middle of seoul. you would think that someone in the special forces, literally stationed in seoul, wouldn’t have heard about these protests? at this point it’s inexcusable.”
— zee 🐳| ia (@trivia_zee) July 21, 2024
these men have access to the internet and post on a semi-regular basis. there are protests in seoul all the time. "they just don't know" isn't gonna cut it.
— autumn (@ghiblijoonies) July 21, 2024
Some fans opined that the photos he posted were all old pictures and didn’t necessarily imply his support for the brand. But others countered, saying that idols are extra careful about displaying brands on their social media, and when they do, it is most definitely an endorsement. V himself has been very particular about not displaying any brand that he isn’t professionally involved with on his Instagram.
I need you to understand that these idols, including BTS, do not do free endorsements. They hide labels whenever possible. They hide what type of phone they use if it isn’t a Samsung. This is product endorsement.
— HYBE Boycott Updates (@hybeboycotts) July 21, 2024
This is the same person btw! It's pure endorsement because if he has to censor the phone he uses, then how come he can upload photos of consuming a product on bds list! that too without censoring while he is still in the military. He is not a baby not leaving in the stone age!! pic.twitter.com/2cEnt0a8sJ
— saima⁷ – 𐙚 2J's wifeˎˊ˗ (@pjsluv7) July 21, 2024
Some fans tried to fight back the criticism, citing that certain local branches of McDonald’s have donated to aid the people of Gaza. But they were quickly corrected by others who pointed out that much like Starbucks, regardless of their ownership, these restaurants have to pay a certain charge to the fast-food chain to use their branding, which inevitably ties them to the parent company.
first of all he’s not eating mcdonalds in malaysia. second of all, malaysians are still boycotting mcdonald even after this announcement was made. https://t.co/QgnkqSvpVg
— 샤 ‧₊˚ san’s month (@lovercsan) July 21, 2024
counterpoint: the bds movement has said that mcdonalds is STILL complicit in genocide
even if the first statement is in reference to mcdonalds malaysia filing lawsuits of defamation against bds malaysia, the mcdonald’s brand ITSELF is a symbol of human rights violations https://t.co/uGezySAsKF pic.twitter.com/FuzBwHmgnS
— gar-riedo station 🪐 (@rhirethdl) April 26, 2024
just bc your local mcdonalds donates to palestine doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be boycotted. they all pay the parent company for the franchise and that money goes towards feeding the idf for free. if it wasn’t profitable for them to open in your country, they wouldn’t have done it
— nora⁷ 🍉 – IA (@silverrtaetae) July 21, 2024
V is not the only idol who has received pushback for his association with McDonald’s. aespa’s collaboration with the brand also received massive criticism from their own fans.
