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German radio network Bayern 3's presenter Mattias Matuschik has invoked the BTS Army's wrath worldwide. He did so after controversially referring to the famous boy band as a "s****y virus" akin to COVID-19.
During his show, Matthias Matuschik went on air and called BTS a virus, like COVID. The host added that "hopefully there would be a vaccination against it soon."
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According to Ansoko's report, the presenter further derided BTS by calling them out for their song choices:
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Speaking about BTS' recent performance on MTV Unplugged, Matthias Matuschik criticized them in a rather distasteful manner:
"But BTS. And BTS, yes, they actually have an MTV Unplugged now - with a boy band, Unplugged! That alone is paradoxical! Yes? And then these... these little p***s brag about the fact that they covered Fix You from Coldplay, where I say: "This is blasphemy!" And that's what I say as an atheist! This is... this is sacrilege, for this you will... for this you will be vacationing in North Korea for the next 20 years!"
From calling them "little p*****s" to accusing them of committing sacrilege, his controversial remarks instantly triggered a massive Twitter storm, with scores of BTS fans tearing into him.
Apart from condemning racism, BTS armies globally took to Twitter to demand that he issue a proper apology.
Bayern 3 under fire after Matthias Matuschik slammed for alleged racist remarks towards BTS
In the face of mounting online dissent, the company was forced to issue an apology soon after. They unsuccessfully tried to diffuse the heat by labeling it a matter of the host's "personal taste."
According to Bayern 3's official statement, they claimed that he simply got carried away under the guise of "exaggerated excitement":
Claiming it was unintended, the organization harped that Matthias Matuschik was in no way attached to xenophobic ideals or racist beliefs.
BTS fans responded by ripping into the apology, labeling it "trash" and "insincere."
With dissent simmering online, scores of BTS fans took to Twitter to slam Bayern 3 and call out its presenter for fuelling an "epidemic of hatred" towards Asians in general:
Columbia Records has also issued a statement of solidarity, shunning the practice of racism and xenophobia in any form:
Exhibiting personal preferences about a particular artist or group is often regarded as a fundamental part of one's freedom of expression.
However, the practice of spewing unwarranted hate in the form of distasteful, racist remarks is what has irked the BTS Army and the online community.
From the reactions above, it is evident that the situation no longer pertains to any particular fandom. Rather, it has evolved into a fight against racism and xenophobia, which seems to be a result of societal failings at large.
With dissent continuing to mount online, it seems like Matthias Matuschik may have just signed the warrant for his "cancellation" by going after one of the biggest and most revolutionary boy bands in the world.
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