“WE DEMAND AN APOLOGY” — ARMY slams Karla Sofía Gascón over alleged past racist remarks on BTS amidst her Oscar nomination controversy

On January 31, 2025, fans of the K-pop group BTS took to social media to express outrage over past remarks made by Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón. A resurfaced tweet, which has since been deleted, allegedly contained derogatory and racist language directed at BTS, sparking a wave of backlash.

As Gascón celebrates her historic Oscar nomination for best actress, netizens are demanding accountability, insisting that her previous comments should not be overlooked. In the resurfaced post, Gascón allegedly offensively mentioned BTS, dismissing their influence and using language that many found disrespectful and racist. As per Google, the translation of her BTS remark read,

"I'm fed up with the fact that every time I go to look for an important news story on Twitter, I get 200 of the fuc*ing Chinese people from BTS or 200 touching their di**s. Community Managers, please shove your hashtags up your a*ses, it's not possible that any tragedy or news is used. Don't use misfortunes for your publicity. Remorseless."

Netizens react to Karla Sofía Gascón's resurfaced tweets (Image via X/@_sdl93)

While the tweet was removed, screenshots quickly circulated, reigniting discussions about her past online behavior. Amid mounting criticism, the actress issued a statement expressing regret over her previous social media activity, although she did not specifically mention the K-Pop band.

The apology did not specifically mention BTS, leaving many fans unconvinced. An X user, @mini_kookiess wrote,

"you're a public figure, a celebrity. having such inhumane opinions is bad enough but to want to share it with the world? just how messed up can one's mind be? WE DEMAND AN APOLOGY TO BTS."

BTS ARMY reaction to the resurfaced hate tweet from Karla Sofía Gascón (Image via X/@mini_kookiess)

Others also spoke out against the actress, condemning her remarks as highly disrespectful. They emphasized her history of making controversial statements.

"a repeat offender. is racist, xenophobic, islamophobic and what not.. btw in the last few minutes there are several articles trying to cover up for her bs. her pr team working extra hard. people like her shouldn't be given any hype," said an X user.

"You can run, but you can’t hide. Racist B T S hater. Deleted her tweet bc now she thinks she should get an award. If the Tannies were around I’m sure she’d run to get a pic with them. What a loser," wrote another user.

"And why tf isn’t she cancelled ??? This is sick and disgusting…..," commented a netizen.

"People who are given love& a huge platform are blatantly xenophobic these days, like? Educate yourself, it's not that difficult. Calling Korean people "Chinese" is NOT COOL. AND PUT SOME RESPECT ON BTS' NAME," tweeted another netizen.

Several netizens shared similar sentiments, with some pointing out that receiving so many awards holds no value if the person exhibits such behavior.

"What's the point of having so many awards if you're not worth it as a person? Why do we allow people like this to be on tv? There are so many people in the world and people like this have opportunities that others deserve more," said a user.

"what the f**k is this disgusting behaviour?? and she won all those awards for what? she's literally a nasty person because the stuff she said is so messed up," commented another user.

"@academy, I would take away that nomination if I were ya'll or this is the kind of behavior ya'll also promoting? Do racist, xenofobic,... people deserve to win or be nominated for such prestigeus awards?" wrote a netizen.

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All we know about Karla Sofía Gascón’s ongoing controversy targeting BTS and others

Gascón, known for her role in Emilia Pérez, made history as the first openly transgender actress to receive an Oscar nomination. She previously won the Best Actress award at Cannes, shared with her co-stars, and secured a BAFTA nomination. However, her resurfaced remarks have cast a shadow over her achievements.

Beyond her comments about the K-Pop group, other posts from her past have also drawn criticism. Some of her previous statements included controversial takes on Islam, George Floyd, and diversity in Hollywood, leading to accusations of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia. Fans have pointed out that these remarks contradict the values of inclusivity and representation that the entertainment industry aims to uphold.

BTS fans, widely known as ARMY, have been vocal in their disappointment, questioning why someone with such a history is receiving prestigious recognition. Many have taken to social media to demand a direct apology addressing BTS, while others believe the actress should face professional consequences.

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As the controversy unfolds, the backlash against Gascón shows no signs of slowing down, with the K-Pop group's fans and several other communities continuing to push for a more explicit acknowledgment of the harm caused by her past remarks.