South Korean K-pop agency Big Hit Entertainment, which manages idol group BTS, raised eyebrows among Chinese netizens for using an incorrect map that failed to indicate South Tibet as part of China, but instead showed it as Indian territory.
The issue arose about four months after the hit boy band BTS’s controversial remarks on the Korean War (1950-53).
Big Hit Entertainment on Tuesday released a financial information report. On the eighth page, the company showcased its revenue in different countries and regions in 2020, using the incorrect map as a background.
A blogger who found that the map excluded South Tibet from Chinese territory later posted the issue in a discussion group on Chinese social media platform Douban.
In the post, the blogger reminded the company to review and correct the map, so as not to arouse hostile sentiment between people on both sides.
Established in 2005, Big Hit Entertainment manages multiple entertainment stars including soloist Lee Hyun and idol groups BTS and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT). The company had not made any announcement about this issue as of press time.
China has repeatedly emphasized that the South Tibet belongs to China, and has never recognized the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh” as claimed by India.
The incorrect map irritated many Chinese netizens.
“Is it that hard to find a correct map, or it just doesn’t want to?” a Chinese netizen asked.
Some Chinese netizens argued that it was the agency’s fault and the idols under its label should not be blamed, but some others responded that the company is a repeat offender against China, considering the controversial Korean War speech that BTS made in October 2020
In October, the South Korean hit boy band received the General James A. Van Fleet Award, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of US-Korea relations. The team leader of BTS said online that “we will always remember the history of pain that our two nations share together and the sacrifices of countless men and women.”
Many Chinese netizens pointed out that the comments and one-sided attitude neglected history and hurt the feelings of Chinese netizens and fans.
BTS Photo: CMS
