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BTS is a global singer with a huge fan base.
A German radio host apologized when he compared the K-pop group BTS (BTS) to a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) during a live broadcast on the 24th (local time).
Matthias Matushke, the host of the German radio broadcast’Bayern 3′, apologized, saying, “I had no intention of racially insulting,” and “It was completely wrong to connect BTS and Corona 19.”
This incident occurred amid increasing anti-Asian sentiment and racist attacks since the start of the Corona Pandemic.
BTS is a popular band with a huge fan base around the world.
As the news became known, BTS fans shared this article on social media, criticizing Matushke’s remarks as racist.
Earlier, Matushke said in the broadcast that BTS sang Coldplay’s’Fix You’ as’blasphemy’.
“You will be on vacation in North Korea for the next 20 years because of this,” he added.
He also compared BTS as “a bad virus that I want the vaccine to come out quickly.”
Still, Matushke said, “I cannot say that I have xenophobia. I have a Korean car. I have a very nice car.”
On the 6th, the broadcasting station made a statement and said, “It is the nature of this show and that the presenter expresses their opinions clearly, openly, and clichéd.”
He added that there was no intention to offend the feelings of BTS fans, saying, “I have crossed the target in choosing words.”
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Broadcasting station’Bavarian 3’made a statement on the 26th and said, “It is the nature of this program and the nature of the host to express one’s opinions clearly, openly and rawly.”
He explained that he did not intend to hurt BTS fans, saying, “It was too much when I chose words.”
However, on social media, there are a lot of posts in English, German, and Korean saying’Racism is not an opinion’.
In a statement, Matushke said, “I’ve been thinking a lot in the last few hours, and I understand and acknowledge that my words can be racial insults to you, especially the Asian community.”
“It wasn’t exactly what I intended, but I understand that it depends not on the speaker’s intentions, but on whether the words are accepted by people.”
Meanwhile, according to a UN report, between March and May 2020, there were 1,800 racist cases against Asian Americans in the United States. This incident and the like occurred in connection with Corona 19.