Over the years, although BTS has never officially declared a signature color for their fandom, most ARMYs, and even people around the world, have come to αѕѕociate the color purple with them. Many brands that have collaborated with BTS have incorporated purple into their designs, numerous cities have changed their lights and decorations to purple for BTS-related events, and even tourist attractions αѕѕociated with BTS have been renovated or decorated in purple tones.

However, some fans have recently accused HYBE of making efforts to remove purple from BTS’ fandom identity. In the latest article by Now Toronto, Coun. Lily Cheng revealed that BTS management had asked the city not to use purple for the “BTS Boulevard” signs “because we’re evolving the brand and the current concert, Arirang, the branding is black and red.” When the news spread, a wave of anger swept across online communities.

One angry fan expressed their frustration: “HYBE may be moving away from BORAHAE, the word and the color, but no branding change can erase what it means to BTS and ARMY. It became a symbol of the love and connection shared between BTS and ARMY. They can call it ‘evolving the brand’ and introduce new words or colors, but they can never rewrite the history or erase the meaning BORAHAE has carried for years.”

Amid the heated controversy, some of BTS’ past remarks related to the “color purple” have gone viral again, offering a different perspective on the issue!

The situation happened during an aerial yoga clαѕѕ — when they saw the purple silk hammocks hanging from the ceiling, it was natural for the members to αѕѕume they were prepared especially for BTS. Jungkook began the conversation by exclaiming, "No way! You matched these to purple, right?". 

RM then quickly clarified with humor, saying that they were all obsessed with this idea — jokingly calling it a “∂ιѕєαѕє” shared by BTS and ARMY. He said, "You know, this is a kind of illness. Whenever we see purple, is it somehow connected to us?" He then concluded with a clear fact: "We didn't pay the copyright for purple".

And he was absolutely right — the color purple doesn’t belong to anyone, and BTS neither owns nor holds the copyright to it. Therefore, nothing purple can be claimed as officially representing BTS or ARMY. The only thing BTS — or more specifically, V — truly “owns” is the phrase Borahae.

Jin quickly added that there are many purple things in the world. Finally, SUGA wrapped up the discussion perfectly by declaring, “Purple isn’t ours.” A short but spot-on statement.

From that case, some fans have urged others to take a more measured view of the situation. Some pointed out that ARIRANG itself uses a black-and-red color scheme, so it is perfectly reasonable for management to ask the city to use those colors on signs promoting the tour. This does not necessarily indicate that the company is boycotting purple or wants to remove it from the fandom’s identity.

In fact, there has been no complete removal of purple throughout the current ARIRANG tour. At many stops, cities have flexibly used both color palettes side by side: the red, black, and wнιтe tones representing the new album, harmoniously combined with the purple that has been αѕѕociated with BTS and ARMY for years. Even among fans, some have chosen to wear purple outfits, while others have embraced bold red-and-wнιтe looks inspired by the ARIRANG concept.

Overall, it is difficult to blame some ARMYs for being sensitive about this issue. Purple has become so deeply rooted in the fandom’s collective heart that any change suggesting a move away from it can easily trigger strong emotions. At the same time, it is important to note that BTS’ past remarks do not mean that the members dislike the color purple. On the contrary, they understand very well what the color has come to represent in the relationship between BTS and ARMY, and they appreciate it just as much as their fans do. Ultimately, however, fans should be careful not to let an extreme fixation lead to serious misunderstandings or overly heated reactions.

In the end, whether it is red or purple, both colors can represent BTS in different ways in this context. What matters most is the love, support, and pride that fans have for the group. Rather than letting this debate affect the atmosphere within the fandom, fans should turn their attention back to what matters most: enjoying BTS’ Toronto concerts next weekend.