MBC Accused Of Abusing Their Power To Prevent Big Hit Artists From Appearing On Its Shows Because Of BTS Absence, Big Hit And MBC Issue A Response
MBC has found itself in quite a situation after OSEN recent report.
Korean news outlet OSEN has released a report about MBC accusing them of abusing their power to prevent Big Hit artists (TXT, GFREIND) from appearing on their end-year music festival because of BTS is not attending.
This subject has been discussed on various online communities, fans noticed that BTS were attending SBS and KBS music festivals but not MBC’s, then they noticed that Big Hit artists aside from BTS were not attending the show as well. Allegations spread quickly on social media with many people suspecting MBC was exercising vengeful gapjil (Korean term for abuse of power) on Big Hit artists.
According to OSEN who talked to many industry sources, MBC had known about BTS not participating in MBC’s year-end music festival since October, and that it has been difficult for singers associated with Big Hit to appear on MBC,
“It’s a well-known fact in the industry.”
BTS are set to perform on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on December 31 the same day MBC music festival will be held.
A source from MBC had spoken to OSEN after the lineup was revealed (a while ago), the source says that the producers are disappointed that BTS will appear on SBS and KBS music festivals but not theirs,
“There have been many contrasting opinions after the lineup was revealed.”
The source also stated that they’re unaware of why TXT and GFRIEND are not appearing.
However, MBC adamantly denied those accusations in a phone interview stating it’s a ‘groundless’ rumor, they also denied that TXT were not appearing on MBC’s “2020 Idol Star Athletics – New Year Special” for the same reasons, MBC claims that the two shows PDs are different and that it is unrelated.
However, Big hit didn’t exactly deny this report but didn’t confirm it either, they told news outlets,
“It’s difficult to confirm.”
The 2019 MBC Music Festival will be held on December 31 at 8:55 p.m. KST.