K-pop stans are furious after ABC7 included the wrong boy group in its coverage of BTS for the American Music Awards (AMAs) on Sunday.
The still: In a short clip posted to TikTok, user @nicole_tiktoks pointed out the blunder and called it racist.
- George Pennacchio, an entertainment reporter for the broadcasting company, introduced BTS as a strong contender to keep their wins from the previous 2018 and 2019 AMAs.
- As he explained that they were “four-for-four [wins]” over a clip of the members’ dance break in their song “On,” there was a quick cut to SM Entertainment’s sub-group NCT 127.
- The photo featured seven out of ten of the NCT 127 members who debuted on the red carpet at the AMAs in 2018 and were promoting their first English song, “Regular,” according to E! Online.
- Other Twitter users started to catch on and lash out at the company for its “lack of research,” and the implication that “all Asians look the same.”
So @ABC7 @abc7george @OnTheRedCarpet implying all Asians look the same?! What’s the point of having a segment called FACEism when your own network is promoting racism? https://t.co/lKK1XbBZlD
— erika (@ERlKAMARTlN) November 23, 2020
oh no not THIS again… bts≠nct
damn stuff like this is SO disappointing
CAN YALL DO YOUR RESEARCH?? ITS NOT THAT HARD @ABC7 @abc7george— ⁷ 서영ᴮᴱ ⟭⟬ (@MESMERIZINGBTS) November 23, 2020
More wins: In spite of the mistake, BTS performed their singles, “Life Goes On” and “Dynamite” from South Korea for this year’s AMAs, while keeping their wins, according to Rolling Stone.
- In 2018, the members scored their first AMA for Favorite Social Artist.
- In 2019, the group racked up three awards for Tour of the Year, Favorite Social Artist, and Favorite Duo or Group in Pop / Rock.
- This year, the artists received two more wins, for Favorite Social Artist, and Favorite Duo or Group in Pop / Rock.
[#방탄밤][#방밤캠] 2020 AMA’s – ‘#BTS_Dynamite‘ #BTS Focus Ver. #방구석1열직캠 #방탄밤이제공하는 #2020AMAs직캠 #아미즐겨즐겨
(https://t.co/wu0yNo80oe)— BTS_official (@bts_bighit) November 24, 2020
— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) November 23, 2020
can we just take a minute to talk about how GOOD #bts looked at last night’s #amas???? https://t.co/8i8lklkkMI
— InStyle (@InStyle) November 23, 2020
Featured Image Screenshot via @amas