“Where is the freedom of speech?”— Fans outraged as KBS bans Jennie's 'Mantra' & NCT's Jaehyun's 'Unconditional' over brand name mentions

On October 23, 2024, KBS banned BLACKPINK's Jennie's song Mantra and NCT's Jaehyun's single Unconditional due to specific brand mentions. Both songs were deemed "ineligible" for airing by KBS as they violated Article 46, which restricts advertising in songs. According to KBS policies, artists can remove the flagged part from their songs and resubmit to get a re-deliberation on the broadcast's decision.

Mantra was released on October 11, 2024, by the BLACKPINK rapper under her label, ODDATELLIER, in partnership with Columbia Records. Meanwhile, Jaehyun's EP, Unconditional, will be released globally on October 24, 2024.

However, this outraged fans of both K-pop idols as they found the ruling unfair. The news gained traction online as thousands of fans poured their views on the announcement and questioned the "freedom of speech" in the South Korean entertainment industry.

"Where is the freedom of speech? Disappointed," a fan wrote.

Jennie's fans said that this felt like a "double standard" as it also limits an artist's creativity and originality.

"Another brand mention ban? This feels like a double standard—when will KBS realize it stifles creativity? Artists shouldn't be punished for being real," one fan wrote.

"That's unfortunate! It’s interesting how brand mentions can affect broadcasting. I hope it gets resolved soon:)," another fan wrote.

"This ban on JENNIE's 'Mantra' shows just how tricky the balance is between branding and artistic freedom. While it's important to protect commercial interests, limiting creativity can really hurt the music. Will this lead to a bigger discussion about how we handle artistic expression in the industry?" another fan added.

NCT's Jaehyun's supporters joined the discussion and expressed their disappointment towards KBS. Some fans highlighted that Jaehyun is the brand ambassador for the luxury brand Prada hence his mentioning the name in his song seems valid.

"KBS really needs to loosen up. Censoring #JAEHYUN’s 'Unconditional' feels unnecessary—let the art shine without these restrictions," a fan said.

"It’s disappointing to see “Unconditional” by #JAEHYUN banned by KBS for mentioning a brand name. It seems like such a strict policy stifles creativity and expression!" another fan added.

"Getting his song banned just because he mentioned Prada? He is the brand’s global ambassador," another fan remarked.

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More about BLACKPINK's Jennie's Mantra becoming new fan favorite & Jaehyun's upcoming release

Jennie released her song Mantra on October 11, which is her comeback so single after You & Me, which she released in 2023. Mantra arrived almost a year after her previous solo single when she was still signed under YG Entertainment.

After parting her ways with YG Entertainment in December 2023, The BLACKPINK rapper established her own label, ODDATELIER, on December 24, 2023. As the founder and CEO of ODDATELIER, Jennie signed with the American label, Columbia Records on September 9, 2024, and confirmed releasing her debut solo album under them.

Korea JoongAng Daily reported on October 18, 2024, that NCT's Jaehyun's upcoming EP, Unconditional, is created upon the artist's "deepened emotions."

“As this new song is filled with Jaehyun's deepened emotions, expectations are high for what new charm he will bring to fans,” SM Entertainment announced.

The EP arrived after his debut studio album, J, was released in August 2024. It consisted of eight tracks: Smoke, Roses, Dandelion, Flamin' Hot Lemon, Easy, Completely, Can't Get You, and Smoke (English Version).

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In other news, Jennie told Harper's BAZAAR that her debut solo album will be released by the end of 2024. She confirmed that her forthcoming album tracks will be recorded in English and released under her company, ODDATELLIER.