An Australian TV show, “
In the segment, “20 to One” host Erin Molan introduced BTS at number 18 as the “biggest band you’ve never heard of,” followed by a quip from her co-host Dave Thornton. She then explains: “this is BTS, the South Korean One Direction.”
Then, guest comedian Jimmy Carr said in what Heavy describes as a parody video about BTS: “When I first heard something Korean had exploded in America, I got worried. So, I guess it could’ve been worse… but not much worse.”
“And exploded they have,” Molan quipped, adding, “they’re the first Korean act to have a No. 1 in America, which is made even more impressive because only one band member actually speaks English.”
However, one of the most condescending parts of the segment was when Thornton mentioned that the group “even spoke at the UN,” to which Molan asks what the visit could have been about, but the male co-host randomly blurts out “I’m gonna say hair products.”
This is particularly saddening considering that BTS appeared at the UN last year to encourage young people to use their voices to speak up about world issues. They’re appearance was also part of the group’s “Love Myself” campaign in support of UNICEF’s youth initiative “Generation Unlimited.”
Things turned even more complicated, however, when Australian comedian Alex Williamson took to Twitter to defend Channel Nine’s program for its remarks.
He even went on to drop Son Heung-min’s name in another tweet to claim that the South Korean soccer player “would rather chop his d**k off than listen to these BTS blokes as well.”
But rather embarrassingly, Williamson seems to have forgotten to read the memo that Son actually supports BTS, as revealed in an interview from earlier this June, Soompi reported.
Here’s what other people are saying regarding this whole issue:
Some even suggested that the hosts should get fired.
A spokesperson from Channel Nine issued a statement to SBS PopAsia, and it reads:
“As a light-hearted entertainment program, it is our belief that last night’s episode of 20 to One, which highlighted the ‘Greatest Global Crazes’, did not breach any broadcast regulations, and was intended to humorously highlight the popularity of the group. We apologise to any who may have been offended by last night’s episode.”
Featured image (left) screenshot via YouTube / BTS SQUAD, (right) via Instagram / bts.bighitofficial
