Korean netizens are currently engaged in a heated debate after a photo surfaced of BTS member Jungkook wearing a cap that reads “Make Tokyo Great Again.” The phrase, reminiscent of Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, has stirred controversy due to lingering historical tensions between Korea and Japan.
Some netizens have expressed disappointment, criticizing the choice of headwear as insensitive. While the phrase may have been intended as a parody, some believe Jungkook should have been more mindful of its implications.
On the other hand, fans have stepped up to defend the singer, arguing that it was likely a fashion statement with no political intent. They urge others not to read too much into a single accessory and caution against overanalyzing celebrities' every move.
Korean netizens comments
“Not a single staff member stopped this?”
“I can’t accept Jungkook’s ignorance. He must apologize.”
"I'm not even a fan, but if you just skim the phrase, it can come across as something meaningless, like 'Paris in the Rain' or 'London Bagel Museum.' Of course, that doesn’t mean he should be excused just because he might not have known. But I do think it’s possible he really didn’t know."
"I'm an ARMY, but I honestly think Jungkook wore it without knowing. That said, even if he didn’t know, it was still wrong and there’s no excuse for it. We know BigHit staff monitors the fan community a lot, so please ask Jungkook to release an apology letter quickly. Not an explanation. An apology! A sincere one!!!"
"Speaking as someone who has no interest in the celebrity in question, most people don't assign that much meaning to just a cap, which is why this whole thing seems like a minor incident. It’s likely he just saw it as a disposable fashion item with some random wording, and in the middle of a busy schedule, figuring out what the phrase actually meant might have felt unnecessary or like a hassle. If the phrase on that cap wasn’t loaded with potentially offensive meaning, people would've just let it go. But because it can be interpreted as having problematic intent, everyone’s paying attention. The core issue is whether he wore it deliberately. But I don’t think it’s the kind of message someone would publicly wear if they were ready to risk everything they’ve built. If it actually had that much meaning to him, there would’ve been some hint of it in his usual behavior."
“I’m seriously disappointed. Wake up and post an apology already.”
“Looks like they’re even giving it some symbolic meaning in the comment above…”
“If it’s really ignorance, then the apology should say: ‘I didn’t understand what it meant at all…’ Are you really okay with that?”
“To me, this is one of the worst idol scandals ever. I’ll think of this first whenever I see him from now on.”
“Are you serious right now???”
“How can anyone not know what that means...............”
“His image was good after the solo album and finishing military service… What is this?”
“Is an apology even enough? If you're still a fan after this, give up being Korean. Even MAGA supporters wouldn’t defend this.”
“What the heck is happening…”
“Wow, crazy.”
“Seriously?”
“So careless. So, so careless.”
“Why… really, why??”
“This is honestly absurd lol…”
“I liked him especially for his generous donations… but this? Why that hat, of all things? I’m shocked.”
“If he didn’t mean it, it just makes him look dumb. And ignorance in this context is a crime.”
“This is on the same level as wearing a Rising Sun Flag. ‘Tokyo is great’? How else do you make it great except imperialism? That’s a far-right slogan and he wore it proudly.”
“It’s a serious problem if a celebrity doesn’t know this kind of stuff in this climate.”
“Please stop using him as a national symbol or representative anymore.”
“Are fans saying he’s illiterate or blind?”
“Did he really buy that hat himself? That makes it even worse.”
“Maybe he wants Tokyo to be great again because Japan makes him more money. Just admit it.”
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