HYBE, the parent company of BTS’s label BIGHIT MUSIC, has landed itself in trouble again with ARMYs for putting out content that many deemed inappropriate and insensitive.
While BTS is in the military, their label has ensured that fans still stay engaged with the group by releasing various kinds of content. On April 25, KST, HYBE released an ARMY membership content titled “A day in the life with BTS.” It comprised a questionnaire answered by each member individually.
A Day In The Life with BTS pic.twitter.com/NPt9avhsN3
— hope⁷ (@winnttaebear) April 24, 2024
It was supposed to be fun and light-hearted content, with each BTS member opting between choices that allow them to be “superstars” or their ordinary selves. But it all backfired with the very first question on the page, which asked, “Your favorite pants no longer fit, but you’re hungry — what do you do?!”
While this question itself rubbed people the wrong way, what enraged them even further were the two options. For option A, the members could choose to “have a glass of water” to suppress their hunger, while for option B, they get to have another “cheat day.”
Fans immediately took issue with both the content and the language of this question and its options and called out HYBE for using potentially body-dysmorphia-promoting concepts, which can harm both the young fanbase of BTS and the members themselves.
I want BTS to know they can eat whenever the fuck they’re hungry. You have hunger cues for a reason. I’ll still love them even if their favorite pants don’t fit. Please don’t just have a glass of water omg
— Liz⁷⁼¹ 엘리사벳 🍉₊˚⊹ (@btsgivesuwings) April 24, 2024
Hybe has this very annoying habit of asking Jimin questions laced in fatphobia… https://t.co/cF3YvZmgzH
— Barb(Na)⁷ The Last Shadowhunter⁷⁼¹🍉 (@park_carstairs) April 24, 2024
if your favorite pants don't fit and you're hungry, you buy a new pair of pants & have a nice meal <3
— em⁷🧸ྀིྀིྀིྀིྀི (fan acc) (@minslotus) April 24, 2024
Free the kpop idol industry from fatphobia & glorifying eating disorders because what the fuck is this question? Why are you encouraging your artists to starve themselves? Buy new pants for fucks sake. @BIGHIT_MUSIC @bts_bighit @hitmanb @HYBEOFFICIALtwt https://t.co/kcroiQl5b0 pic.twitter.com/AFD7dBwsNs
— (na)na⁷ 🍉🏳️🌈 (@petitaemi) April 24, 2024
Hybe stop the fatphobia you instill on your own artists you fucking twat
— (na)na⁷ 🍉🏳️🌈 (@petitaemi) April 24, 2024
why would weverse even have that question, see 6/7 members pick that answer and be like yeah lets post that to a million fans who live off their every word thats a great idea
— megan⁷⁺¹² (@koobells) April 24, 2024
just read the day in the life of the boys and the first question is a bit… like i know they didn’t write that answer but the fact that almost all of them chose it is..
— nayeon’s gf⁷₈💋(REALꪜ) (@yoonieboy) April 24, 2024
i was ??? when i read that, like there’s a thousands more fun questions than that and they pick that one for the content? smh
— lindy⁷ (@tearymoonchild) April 24, 2024