BTS has seven members and excluding any of them will not be tolerated by their fandom ARMY. UPICK, a global fandom platform for worldwide K-pop fans, has learned it after facing heat from BTS lovers. It all began when ARMY secured a victory for the K-pop supergroup in the fan-voted ‘Best K-pop Global Idol Group’ poll.
The septet were pitted against some of the biggest K-pop entities including SEVENTEEN, EXO, ENHYPEN, and NCT WISH among others. UPICK officially revealed BTS’ victory will be celebrated with the installation of a commercial board at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, featuring a video advertisement of the winning group. The footage in question, introduced every BTS member, excluding Suga in the wake of his recent DUI controversy.
“The video currently presenting is the final video with some modifications from the existing draft in order to broadcast the first place reward advertisement. The existing advertisement draft was judged unadvisable during the subway advertisement review process. We ask for your generous understanding,” UPICK said while releasing the video. It didn’t take long for ARMY to go ballistic over Suga’s absence in the video advertisement.
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투표 최종 광고 시안 공개 — UPICK 유픽 (@UPICK_twt) September 9, 2024
The final draft for Positionvote
🏆 #방탄소년단 #BTS 🏆
Location📍여의도역 CM보드 (Yeouido station CM Board)
Period🗓 9/20 ~ 10/4 KST
The video currently presenting is the final video with some… https://t.co/5z6hImAq3W pic.twitter.com/Ejj2TnR2iB
Many bombarded X with angry tweets, demanding Suga’s addition. A fan wrote, “It’s either you ADD SUGA back into the video and complete the group or DON'T ADVERTISE it AT ALL, we do not care about your corrupted judges, you people are nothing but enablers of the bullying culture in South Korea.” Another threw shade at the advertisement, “BTS IS 7. BTS HAS SEVEN MEMBERS!! Excluding any member of BTS will not be tolerated. BTS as a group won this award, and all SEVEN members of that group must be featured.” One more added, “BTS is 7 members. Any other representation is a fallacy.”
its either you ADD SUGA back into the video and complete the group or DONT ADVERTISE it AT ALL, we do not care about your corrupted judges, you people are nothing but enablers of the bullying culture in South Korea.
UPICK ADD SUGA
BTS IS SEVEN
누가 뭐래도 방탄=7#BTSisSeven… — Rize⁷ (kinda ia) (@rize07addict) September 9, 2024
BTS is 7. Excluding any member of BTS will not be tolerated. BTS as a group won this award, and all SEVEN members of that group must be featured.
UPICK ADD SUGA
BTS IS SEVEN — ✿❀cam❀✿⁷ loves yoongi (@camlovesyoongi) September 9, 2024
This is the response of our fandom. BTS is 7. pic.twitter.com/SaZKhFjxSr — paula⁷ (@sugatheartist) September 9, 2024
We don’t care about your corrupt judges!
Put Yoongi back to the video. Its Armys hardwork that led to the victory and we demand BTS as 7. Don’t take advantage of your users.
BTS IS 7 — . (@berealinlife7) September 9, 2024
Trying to be respectful!! Where is #Suga/#AgustD?? Do you need us to tell you that BTS Group has 7 members?? — Bangtan_streamers⁷ (@Bangtan7_Stream) September 9, 2024
BTS is 7!
UPICK should revise the CM Board Video! — 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚 🇮🇩 🥢 (@SUGAIndoFanbase) September 9, 2024
We will not tolerate any discrimination against members. Please add SUGA back into the video immediately.
UPICK ADD SUGA
BTS IS SEVEN pic.twitter.com/LCK67ZY7hT — Yoon's Coffee⁷ ☕️ 슙 (@yoong_coffee) September 9, 2024
This is unacceptable BTS is 7.
Either you add Suga in the video or you don't need to advertise this at all — ✨Barcelona For BTS✨아포방포 🐥🐻🐰🐨🐱🐿️🐹 (@BcnForBTS) September 9, 2024
BTS IS 7. BTS HAS SEVEN MEMBERS!! Excluding any member of BTS will not be tolerated. BTS as a group won this award, and all SEVEN members of that group must be featured.
UPICK ADD SUGA
BTS IS SEVEN — moni⁷ 𖠌 (@sevenrchive) September 9, 2024
BTS is 7 members. Any other representation is a fallacy. — JRJ (Busy with irl, Really, really slow) (@LetsBeGoodHuman) September 9, 2024
BTS is 7! The exclusion of BTS' SUGA is unacceptable. Please add him back to the advertisement with all seven members included! — 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐒𝐓 📝 ⁷ SLOW (@dSUGA_1993) September 9, 2024
DONT POST ANYTHING ABT BTS IF U CANT RESPECT THE ONE OF OFFICIAL MEMBER!!!! STOP THIS NOW — {SOLOSTAN/MULTIS OUT!} Bomb⁷⁼¹🥢⚪️ 💜 (@runintheocean) September 9, 2024
The lack of engagement, low ratings and removal of your app from millions of army currently presenting is the final engagement with some modifications from the existing support in order to broadcast the stance of army as the previously existing support was judged unadvisable… — 🐈AgustGee3275 𝐍𝔢𝓿𝔞 ｐ𝕝Δ𝕪 🕹️⁷ NormalBoys🤨 (@AgustGee3275) September 9, 2024
This is unacceptable! BTS is 7. Either fix your ad or forget about any engagement from us moving forward! We shall be boycotting every platform which perpetuates cyberbullying. pic.twitter.com/fGvOGmY904 — AGUST D CHARTS (@DataAgustD) September 9, 2024
If it is “unadvisable” to air the original advertisement then don’t freaking air it at all!
We DON’T want this!
UPICK ADD SUGA
BTS IS SEVEN — 🐱🥢mweerden is a faithful 고무신🥢🐱 (@mweerden1) September 9, 2024
WE DONT NEED ANYTHING FROM YOU IF YOU SKIPPING AN OFFICIAL MEMBER FROM BTS!!! WHAT YOU DO JUST HURTING ARMY SO IF YOU CANT RESPECT OUR 7 ARTISTS AND CANT RESPECT ARMY STOP THIS VIDEO WE DONT NEED THIS WE HAVE MORE MONEY TO MAKE A BIGGER CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT 7 MEMBERS EQUALLY!!! — {SOLOSTAN/MULTIS OUT!} Bomb⁷⁼¹🥢⚪️ 💜 (@runintheocean) September 9, 2024
Fry in hell. BTS is 7#TheStatement7#GlobalARMYUnion_BTSis7 — gomooshin⁷ (@taesoothe) September 9, 2024
Hey you’re missing a member!! I swear I’m so sick of this. Add SUGA or you can forget any engagement from ARMY moving forward. — N1c0le ⁷ 🦋 (@nicolegotnojams) September 9, 2024
BTS consists of 7 members, where is Suga?
If your company wants to omit him, please don’t show the ad at all. Please refund my points, I didn’t spend my time voting for your organization to make an egregious decision.
BTS is 7! — Khoya🧘🏽♀️ (@khoya0997) September 9, 2024
BTS has seven members. Also the member's descriptions are ridiculous and some of them aren't even correct. 🥴 — ShayItWithLove✨I AM STILL✨ (@ShayBTSForever) September 9, 2024
In the wake of public criticism, UPICK released an official statement regarding receiving the guide from the advertising media organization. “In accordance with the guidelines, we have been informed that exposure of certain members in videos that fans have so lovingly created is not possible. We have continued to convey our opinions to the media from the fans' perspective, but we have repeatedly received responses that exposure is not possible,” said the platform.
Hello, this is UPICK.
Recently, we received a new guide from the advertising media organization.
In accordance with the guidelines, we have been informed that exposure of certain members in videos that fans have so lovingly created is not possible.
We have continued to convey… — UPICK 유픽 (@UPICK_twt) September 9, 2024
UPICK noted they are continuing to coordinate with advertising media organizations regarding the possible scope of Suga’s addition. “We would like to inform you that the above exposure impossibility has nothing to do with UPICK's opinion. We will continue to do its best to provide services based on the fans' valuable opinions and perspectives,” the platform added.
Suga was caught drunk driving after falling from his e-scooter and thereafter failing a breathalyzer test on August 6.
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