As BTS prepare their return to Toronto, two members of the K-pop supergroup have found themselves at the centre of an unexpected controversy in the city.
RM and J-Hope attended Chris Brown and Usher’s R&B Tour at Rogers Stadium on Wednesday, just 10 days before BTS is scheduled to perform at the same venue on Aug. 22 and 23. The pair were seen enjoying Brown’s set, with J-Hope sharing footage of the performance on Instagram. The two later met both Brown and Usher backstage, posing for photos that were subsequently shared on social media.
The fans were particularly upset about their association with Brown, whose long history of legal and personal controversies has made his continued presence in mainstream pop culture a particularly contentious subject.
Brown pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony assault involving his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He also pleaded guilty to a 2014 assault in Washington, D.C. More recently, he pleaded guilty in July to affray stemming from a 2023 London nightclub incident in which he was accused of attacking music producer Abraham Diaw with a bottle. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced in October. He is also currently being sued by a former housekeeper for nearly 13 million dollars, after she was attacked by his 200-pound guard dog, Hades.
The Toronto appearance has prompted some BTS fans to question whether appearing publicly alongside Brown sends a message that conflicts with the values they associate with the group. That question has sparked fan backlash because RM has previously spoken publicly about confronting criticism surrounding misogyny in his own lyrics. In a 2021 interview, he said the criticism prompted him to have his lyrics reviewed by a women's studies professor and to reflect on gender equality.
For some fans, that history makes the decision to attend Brown’s concert feel especially jarring. Others have pushed back against the criticism, arguing that artists attending one another’s concerts and meeting backstage should not automatically be interpreted as an endorsement of every aspect of another performer’s history.
After years away from the country, the group’s Toronto shows next week are expected to draw tens of thousands of fans.
