SEVENTEEN have found themselves in hot water after their appearance on the popular “Tiny Desk” series.
The group is facing heated reactions from BTS fans, who are accusing them of trying to “steal” a record previously held by BTS.
SEVENTEEN recently appeared on Tiny Desk. The hit YouTube concert series, created by NPR Music, features different artists performing stripped-down live sets of their most popular songs. What makes the concert series unique is the set where the artists perform — behind the desk of NPR host Bob Boilen.
SEVENTEEN’s appearance has unexpectedly sparked heated reactions online, but it has little to do with their actual performance. A recent piece published by Billboard claimed that SEVENTEEN made history as the “first K-Pop act” to appear on Tiny Desk.
SEVENTEEN Makes History as Tiny Desk’s First K-Pop Act Despite Being ‘Super Nervous’ to Performhttps://t.co/afvPuMUZaT
— billboard (@billboard) November 24, 2025
The article, shared on X (formerly Twitter), was met with heavy backlash from ARMYs, who claim that BTS was the first K-pop act to appear on the concert series.
[#오늘의방탄] #BTS in NPR Tiny Desk Concert🎤
모두 즐겁게 관람하셨나요?! 그렇다면 소리 질러어어어! 🎹🥁🎸 #방탄소년단 #BTS_Dynamite #인터내셔널팝케이센세이션썬샤인레인보우트레디셔널트랜스퍼USB허브쉬림프BTS pic.twitter.com/pOYiPNhQGU
— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) September 21, 2020
The only difference is that BTS appeared on NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk Home” series, which was created due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Trying to birth a new "First Kpop Act" record by claiming that the TinyDesk concerts during the pandemic were not real TinyDesk concerts just coz BTS had to adhere to COVID restrictions & couldn't take a plane to the states,,,yall can keep it since yall want it so bad ijbol,,this… https://t.co/1aKmBDXARf
— Rize⁷ (kinda ia) (@rize07addict) November 25, 2025
Caption is not misleading, its straight up wrong.
And being in location and doing it remotely make zero difference achievement wise. This group is always just scrambling for a record no matter how meaningless https://t.co/TH0QJXKmT8
— Nae ⁷ | SPAGHETTI 🍝 (@onlyUmyScenery) November 24, 2025
This is really pissing me off seriously.
They are so desperate to erase history, what do u mean a grp gets the record of performing on the location when the other performed earlier without being BEHIND the desk only because of covid.
Making records up jst fr what ? Mediaplay 😑 https://t.co/UGcNvmfttk pic.twitter.com/qHtbXj4s0L
— 𝕭𝖔𝖗(ꪜ )⁷💣⟭⟬💜⟬⟭ 🍝 (@BTS_Vgirl) November 25, 2025
Some SEVENTEEN fans, however, defended the article and claimed that the location does matter.
Not only they were the first to perform at the original location, Seventeen performed by the core production – no in-ear, no wedge monitors, no amp or mics. Only the voice capture.
That's why it says to be the first.
— petit ｡⋆ (@belpetit) November 24, 2025
First to preform at the og Location!!
(Multiple groups did it before but not there).. #SEVENTEEN you did so well 🩷🩵 pic.twitter.com/NWi4Q9O7BC
— Gia (@Gia0506_) November 24, 2025
What are your thoughts? Does the location of the Tiny Desk series matter enough to attribute the “first K-Pop act” achievement to SEVENTEEN for their 2025 performance, or should BTS’s remote 2020 appearance count as the first? Let us know in the comments of our social media post!
