It looks like we haven’t seen the last of the controversy surrounding Jimin and that shirt he wore a year ago!
The sudden cancellation of BTS’s performance on “Music Station” was explained by their side that it was because of the shirt Jimin wore and the controversy it created. The shirt commemorates the day Korea was liberated from Japanese rule in 1945. The T-Shirt includes graphics of Korean celebrating the liberation as well as an atomic bomb detonating in Japan, the atomic bomb contributed to the surrender of Japan and thus Korea’s liberation.
In light of the news making headlines again, the CEO of the company that created the shirt Lee Kwang Jae of LJ Company, sat down for an interview and explained what he meant with the t-shirt design and talked about BTS.
He said,
“It was not a design to mock Japan or for the anti-Japanese sentiment.”
He added,
“Back then when I started the brand, Fashion Street was the trend. I personally was interested in that theme so I made the t-shirt, thinking that if I put a scene of history into what young people wore, they might become interested in history.”
About the atomic bomb image, he said,
“It wasn’t to mock Japan. I did it to express the historical truth and the timing after the bomb detonated and how it contributed to the surrender of Japan which led to independence.”
He also talked about BTS’s canceled appearance on “Music Station” and how the company explained it was because of the t-shirt, he said,
“When I found out, I was flustered and apologetic. I had no intention to promote anti-Japanese sentiment and I am so sorry towards BTS.”
On the other hand, Big Hit Entertainment told Sports DongA,
“There are no major changes to BTS’s promotion in Japan.”
What do you think of this?
Source: (A)
