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On May 30, 2024, Lee Tae-yong, also known as Taeyong of the K-pop boy band NCT, grabbed attention with a cryptic Instagram story that has since been deleted.
The black image with the word 'boycott' sparked controversy as it came soon after NCT collaborated with Starbucks Korea, a company on the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) list. BDS is a Palestinian-led movement advocating for economic and political pressure on Israel.
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Taeyong, despite recently enlisting in the military, appeared to show his support for Palestine through his Instagram story.
The post quickly circulated on social media and Korean forums before being deleted, leading to speculation that SM Entertainment may have pressured him to remove it. Fans appreciated Taeyong’s attempt to raise awareness, even if the post was short-lived.
NCT Taeyong's now-deleted Instagram story sparks reaction online
NCT and Starbucks Korea recently announced their collaboration. However, this partnership did not sit well with all NCT fans because Starbucks is included in the BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) list of companies.
Many K-pop fans have been urging idols to take a stance on this ongoing conflict. Although the story was deleted within 20 minutes, fans speculate that this might be the idol's subtle way of showing support considering the idols do not have much to say when in contract with a company.
Additionally, an old message from the idol on the Bubble app resurfaced, where he expressed frustration over his lack of authority within the company, despite being the group’s leader. He stated,
"Because I'm a leader, there are a lot of things here and there that people ask me to do.... I'm not the one who started the company... I don't know much, and I don't seem to have any authority Still, I want to thank you all so much for the many ideas here and there."
This message, originally from October 2023, gained significant attention.
Moreover, In a related development, another NCT member, WinWin, seemingly expressed his stance on the collaboration subtly. On the same day, he posted on Instagram using the watermelon emoji, a symbol of support for Palestine.
Though the images themselves didn’t include watermelons, fans interpreted the timing and content as a silent show of solidarity. The controversy around NCT’s collaboration with Starbucks and the responses from Taeyong and WinWin highlight the complex interplay between celebrity, activism, and corporate affiliations in the K-pop industry.
Meanwhile, Taeyong, who is recently enlisted for his mandatory military service was seen wearing a platoon leader armband at the ROK Navy's recruit welcome ceremony. As the 'New Recruit 2nd Squadron Platoon Leader,' he impressed everyone at the event. He also posted snapshots from his Navy training graduation ceremony, giving fans a glimpse into this significant milestone.
Enlisted on April 15, 2024, fans admire his leadership and eagerly anticipate his discharge on December 14, 2025.
