Recently, j-hope and RM’s attendance at a performance from the R&B tour by Chris Brown and Usher at Rogers Centre has faced strong criticism from some international fans. Even Rolling Stone took notice, reporting: “As BTS prepare their return to Toronto, two members of the K-pop supergroup have found themselves at the centre of an unexpected controversy in the city.”
The reason is quite simple: Chris Brown has long been involved in various personal controversies and legal troubles, most notably the brutal αѕѕault of Rihanna in 2009. Some fans believe that BTS openly interacting with Chris Brown goes against the values the group has consistently promoted and stood for. Some expressed their strong disappointment with harsh comments such as: “Are they supporting a woman abus3r?”, “Now we have a legitimate reason to boycott BTS,” and “They complain about the Grammys being яα¢ιѕт, but then turn around and support an abus3r.”
On the other hand, quite a few fans and netizens also came to BTS’ defense: “I don’t support Chris Brown’s actions, but outside the US, many people genuinely don’t know much about his past,” “I understand your disappointment, but please refrain from using such extreme language,” or “People who genuinely love someone have every right to feel disappointed but suddenly turning that disappointment into hate as if you never loved or supported them, is different.”
Meanwhile, a few days after the incident, j-hope and RM finally have the opportunity to meet fans in person at today’s concert in Arlington, and they are believed to have indirectly expressed their feelings about the situation!
During his ending ment at AT&T Stadium, j-hope began with some playful comments about the scorching Dallas weather: “Now I know why it’s so ∂αми hot in Dallas. It’s because of you guys. You’re hottt!” He also excitedly shared that he had barbecue the day before and thought he might have found “the best BBQ spot in the world,” but stubbornly refused to reveal where it was.
However, the moment that caught the most attention from ARMY came in his final words. j-hope said: “I had so much fun tonight. I truly love and care about you guys. Thank you for coming tonight, much love.” As he said this, j-hope’s eyes appeared to glisten and he placed clear emphasis on his words, making it feel like a truly heartfelt message to his fans. It was as if j-hope wanted to express and make it clear to ARMY that he always respects their opinions and thoughts.
Notably, it was also j-hope who removed the video a few days ago, just hours after realizing that it had sparked a major controversy within the fan community. At the time, the only post remaining on his Story was a series of photos capturing his time in Baltimore. Although j-hope has not given any explanation, the action clearly suggests that he was aware of what fans were saying on social media. After seeing posts calling for the video to be deleted and expressing disappointment from some ARMYs, he likely did not feel comfortable seeing the negative reactions either, and decided to remove the video as a way of respecting his fans’ feelings as well as learning from the situation.
Meanwhile, RM also used his ending ment to talk about the special relationship between BTS and their fans. “We were here in 2015 and we were here in 2018. 8 years have pαѕѕed and if it weren't for you guys I wouldn't have such a chance to, you know, make it to Texas in my lifetime, so thank you for giving me chance to come here,” he recalled.
He also welcomed new ARMYs, particularly mentioning a six-year-old girl who was attending her first BTS concert: “We've gon through a lot of sнιт and I'd like to welcome all the new armys. I saw the 6 years old girl... that's it's her first bts concert and you know, sometimes it's really... just all here together sing along to the same lyrics and the chant - kim namjoon, kim seokjin, min yoongi…” He eventually concluded with a heartfelt message of gratitude: “Thank you for offering and gifting us with such a precious time and we will never forget this. I love you, thank you.”
Once again choosing to communicate through sincerity, RM’s words felt both soothing and like a moment of reconnecting the bond of trust between BTS and their fan community. By looking back at the milestones of 2015, 2018, and the present day, the leader emphasized that the love and connection between BTS and ARMY are strong enough to withstand any storm. He also brought fans back to the core value of their relationship — where trust and support have been built on years of mutual understanding, rather than being defined by a single moment.
Ultimately, although neither j-hope nor RM directly addressed the controversy, their heartfelt words in Arlington still touched the hearts of many fans. ARMYs could not help but become emotional and say: "If they don't meet your expectations, just leave. Why are you trying to control someone who is a complete stranger to you? You're just a fan", "Did you hear him say our love will never change as they were walking off after into the sun?", "They didn't abus3 any woman. They went to enjoy a concert, maybe without knowing cb's past. Pls stop putting the boys in a pedestal", "I love you so much joonie, hobi. Thanks for coming in my life", "I don't want Jhope or RM apologizing for anything. They didn't do anything wrong", "Hes hurt!!! Because!! Of idiots wanna throw sнιт around them", "They can never make me hate you no matter what you do! We will always love, support and respect you",...
