With the global success of “Dynamite,” as it debuted, BTS is now facing a serious threat to their milestone as a writer for “SiriusXM” claimed that the Korean artist had COVID-19.
BTS and Big Hit Entertainment have unveiled the first issue of their “Weverse” Magazine via the Weverse Application. It reveals more detailed stories of the group from creating the “Dynamite” single during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the support of the Black Lives Matter protest in America, the #MatchAMillion initiative from their ARMYs, and the racism the group had faced in the U.S.
In the new Weverse Magazine article, one story was highlighted involving BTS visiting “SiriusXM” in February. Host Howard Stern revealed during his show “The Howard Stern Show” that a “SiriusXM” writer, Sal Governale, made a racist comment about the Korean group having the COVID-19 virus.
“SiriusXM” writer, Sal Governale, said that there was no way that BTS had the Coronavirus. In response to this negative comment, Howard Stern and producer of the show, Gary Dell’Abate, shut down the statement on behalf of BTS and all Asian people everywhere.
“The Howard Stern Show” producer stated that every celebrity who walks through “SiriusXM’s door is traveling all over the world --not just Asians, as to soften the negative impact to all Asians in the world.
These sections addressed the broader issues of anti-Asian sentiments that followed after the pandemic hit, while many Asians and Asian-Americans have spoken about their experience. Thus, this marks the first time BTS and Big Hit Entertainment have tackled a racist comment about the group.
An ARMY wrote via Twitter that Weverse was “spilling some tea” on the issue, while another fan stated that to say Sal Governale’s name to know who he really is.
BTS has been one of the Black Lives Matter movement supporters that are happening in the U.S. today, to which the K-pop stars donated $1 million to the foundation and issued a statement via Twitter that declared their support for the movement.
The Twitter statement read that BTS will stand against racial discrimination and will condemn violence. The statement continues, “You, I, and we all have rights to be respected. We stand together.”
After the release of the post, ARMYs, BLINKs, and other fandoms banded together to flood the feed with colorful art, memes, and short clips from live performances to show their support to the group’s advocacy.