'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fans of BTS are expressing fury online after Grammy-winning songwriter Nate Walka revealed claims about SM Entertainment allegedly trying to block the group's early American exposure. Walka recently spoke in an interview with YouTuber Frankie Biggz, discussing his time working with the boy band on their 2014 reality show American Hustle Life.
In the interview, released on April 20, 2025, Nate Walka revealed that back in 2014, he was approached by representatives from another K-pop company, allegedly SM Entertainment. At that time, SM's group EXO had a chart-topping song and were in the middle of a writing camp. The label's team reportedly tried to persuade him not to participate in BTS' reality show and instead work with EXO.
"It was interesting because at the time there was like a writing camp, I want to say for like EXO going on. I believe EXO had like a number one record at the time, and their camp was like trying to get me to not do the show and to come and work with EXO because they were saying like, oh, you know, BTS, they're not, you know..." he said.
Trending
Walka continued:
"Like there was a, believe it or not, there was a lot of doubters of them, you know what I'm saying? They were, they felt like it was an experiment and that it wasn't going to, you know, it was just, they were calling it like a filler kind of group and all this stuff."
These comments enraged fans, who now see them as part of a larger pattern of underestimation and opposition that the group faced during their early years. An X user, @alluretk, wrote:
"And guess who's still standing!!!"
Soon after the interview gained traction, fans voiced their outrage. Many highlighted the irony of SM allegedly trying to sabotage a then-rookie group, which is now known as one of the biggest music acts globally.
"SM trying to sabotage Bangtan so early on means they knew & saw something in bts that made them feel threatened enough to try to sabotage them. After all SM is in the same industry & I'm certain they felt & knew these 7 young boys who had immense talent & passion were going to do something huge," an X user wrote.
"BTS and ARMY keep on getting proven right about the Entertainment Industry Politics n K-Pop being threaten by BTS's Success potential since almost the beginning like them calling BTS a Filler Act an experiment that won't go anywhere is insane but I'm not even surprise about it," a fan added.
"Imagine the amount of stuff we don't know about. They were just boys talking about dreams while huge corporations were trying to crush theirs. But they rose above all that," a netizen remarked.
"Getting confirmation in 2025 that SM tried to ruin B T S since they were a fetus is wild," another fan wrote.
Supporters described the revelation as another reminder of the barriers BTS overcame and applauded Nate Walka for recognizing their potential from the start. Some fans also expressed disappointment in the industry gatekeeping BTS experienced before their international breakthrough.
"gotta give credits to SM for foreshadowing B T S’ global success ahead of their time cause wdym you saw nugu B T S from a small and unknown company called big hit entertainment as a threat and tried to get rid of them in their earliest days. this is prophecy, SM saw the vision," another user added.
"bts whole story is crazy coz wdym you saved a company in the verge of bankruptcy, became one of the biggest musical & social act in the world, despite plenty tries of downplay & sabotage since your rookie days by that same k-industry who is now on ur feet I admire them sm," a fan mentioned.
"I have great respect for Nate walka and he’s exactly how he was in the show: real, genuine, and admirable. Thanks for mentoring BTS in America as well," an X user wrote.
BTS' journey from "filler group" to global stars: How a dismissed underdog rewrote K-pop history
The recent revelations come when BTS' global impact remains stronger despite most members currently being enlisted in the military. Their reality show American Hustle Life aired in 2014 and was meant to give the members a hands-on experience in hip-hop culture as part of their artistic growth.
The group debuted under Big Hit Entertainment, which was reportedly a nearly bankrupt company with no major influence in the K-pop industry. The market was dominated by what fans called the "Big 3," which included SM, JYP, and YG Entertainment. The Dynamite group was seen as an outlier, with no guarantee of success. Fast forward to 2025, the group has broken several records.
Recently, they have surpassed 43 billion Spotify streams across all credits and became the most streamed K-pop act this year despite being on hiatus since their first enlistments began in 2022.
Jin and j-hope have completed their military service, while the remaining five members, RM, SUGA, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, are set to be discharged in June 2025.
