Amid 'fatshaming' and 'payola' accusations in K-pop; BTS' Jin stands out as a gentleman,?say?ARMY

This week in K-pop has been filled with controversy. BLACKPINK faced backlash after old trainee videos showed three members reportedly using the "n-word," while KISS OF LIFE was accused of cultural appropriation during member Julie's birthday livestream. Meanwhile, ENHYPEN drew heat over a recent episode of their YouTube series En-O'Clock, where viewers called out remarks directed at member Sunoo as fat-shaming.

Amid the backlash, fans also reignited discussions about "payola," accusing agencies of using paid promotions to manipulate chart rankings. With so many issues surfacing at once, concerns about industry accountability continue to grow.

Amid the chaos, BTS Jin wins hearts

Amid all this noise, BTS' eldest member Jin quietly won the internet for an act of kindness that reminded fans why he's so beloved. ARMY were quick to celebrate the singer after it was revealed he had volunteered to serve free meals to wildfire victims in South Korea.

On Thursday (April 3), Jin was spotted at Gilan Middle School in Gilan-myeon, Andong City¡ªa designated relief center for those displaced by the devastating wildfires. His gesture sparked a wave of admiration online.

ARMY share the many ways Jin is a gentleman

On X (formerly Twitter), fans used the moment to spotlight Jin¡¯s long-standing reputation for being respectful, classy, and unafraid to speak up. One user wrote, "Seokjin radicalized BTS but y'all are not ready to hear that #truth," sparking a wave of admiration-filled posts across the platform.

seokjin radicalized bts but yall r not ready to hear that #truth

¡ª bts jin (@songofseokjin) April 3, 2025

One fan shared a moment from an awards show in 2018: "When Jin wore a white shirt with the S under his tie, it resembled the punk band Dead Kennedys, who protested against payola and industry corruption. Both his FIT and SPEECH were significant."

When Jin wore a white shirt w the S underneath his tie it looked like the punk band Dead Kennedy at an award show in 2018. The band protested against musicians who sell out/accept payola, as well as the corrupt music industry. Both his FIT & Jin's SPEECH are just as SIGNIFICANT https://t.co/D5NtaqEdcd pic.twitter.com/LwPZ9rvlUf

¡ª ?A? ? misses yoongi ? (@ziysuh) April 5, 2025

One fan remembered Jin challenging gender norms: "When BTS was entering the Variety event, a woman commented on them wearing makeup. Jin clapped back with, 'Didn¡¯t want the makeup to go to waste, so I took some pictures.'"

Jin dismantling gender norms with that one classy clapback

The day when BTS was entering the Variety event and hearing that woman in the background saying ¡°Makeup! Oh they are wearing makeups & Jin clapped back with "didn¡¯t want the makeup to go to waste so I took some pictures" https://t.co/6OHQREQfDb pic.twitter.com/LuCNkwEHOD

¡ª Jin¡¯s Chamchii ? IS HAPPY (@yoongisfinger7) April 5, 2025

Another recalled a moment that became iconic in ARMY lore: "'What if he flings it?' 'Then he flings it.' Changed the trajectory of my life."

"what if he flings it?" "then he flings it." changed the trajectory of my lifepic.twitter.com/ib2TjYzwol https://t.co/MYatUYUL6B

¡ª ?????????????? (@for_bangtan7__) April 4, 2025

One fan praised Jin for standing up for BTS when a host belittled them before they rose to global fame, writing: "Seokjin called out a man for being rude to BTS when they weren't famous. He always sets boundaries and doesn¡¯t take anyone¡¯s crap. He knows his worth and protects the group."

seokjin called out this man for being rude to bts when they weren¡¯t as famous.. he always sets boundaries and he doesn¡¯t take anyone¡¯s shit, he knows his worth. i have 0 doubt that he¡¯s protected both himself & bts from mistreatment pic.twitter.com/ghaSH2Vh2e https://t.co/2txJPl27Fa

¡ª jin ? (@morejinnie) April 5, 2025

And finally, one highlighted his defense against body-shaming: "¡°He said, 'Nobody can make fun of anyone's appearance in my presence.'"

He said nobody can make fun of anyone's apperance in my presence.pic.twitter.com/pzRfotG9jF https://t.co/iW1tvooylR

¡ª ????? ?? ????y.?? ?? (@itboygucci) April 4, 2025

What's next for Jin?

Jin will soon appear in the upcoming variety show Kian's Bizarre B&B, premiering on April 8. The unique unscripted series features Jin, webtoon artist and entertainer Kian84, and SNL Korea's Ji Ye-eun. The first three episodes drop on April 8, with new ones released weekly for three weeks on Netflix.

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