SEVENTEEN Seungkwan recently found himself at the center of controversy after BTS fans launched a wave of online attacks against him. The situation started when Seungkwan, who currently models for Cass beer, posted a promotional message on Instagram featuring Cass Light. The post, which included a supportive message for South Korean athletes at the Olympics, also contained a mandatory health warning about responsible alcohol consumption.
SEVENTEEN’s Seungkwan becomes the target of online backlash after a misunderstanding related to a promotional post
The post triggered a backlash from Suga’s international fanbase, who interpreted the message as a subtle jab at the BTS rapper. Some fans speculated that his promotion of Cass Zero Sugar was intentionally aimed at Suga due to the product’s “sugar” reference. While the connection seems far-fetched, it fueled a wave of criticism.
The situation escalated as fans flooded Seungkwan’s comments with harsh remarks. Some even dragged his close friend, the late Moon Bin, into the controversy, leading to a flood of disrespectful comments. Due to the overwhelming negativity, he eventually unpinned his tribute post to Moon Bin from his profile and changed his profile picture, which had been set in memory of his friend.
carats set up seungkwan accusing him of shading yoongi and now are acting like victims using theqoo to say that armys are attacking him without provocation. seriously, army needs to start acting and create accounts in k-forums to expose the truth about these situations 🙇🏻♀️ pic.twitter.com/UutSWL9xH4
— 🔄 (@ktae0096) August 12, 2024
Media calls out fan toxicity:
Following BTS’ Suga’s DUI incident, “Sports Chosun” highlights the unacceptable actions of some ARMY who targeted BLACKPINK’s Rosé and Jennie, and SEVENTEEN’s Seungkwan with online attacks.🔗 https://t.co/eT7PZjLkU4 pic.twitter.com/9yF05pxtCX
— moonie (@itsmooniiieee) August 13, 2024
This controversy has highlighted how misunderstandings and online speculation can quickly spiral out of control, especially in the world of K-pop fandoms. Despite the intense criticism, many SEVENTEEN fans have rallied around Seungkwan, urging others to spread positivity and support during this challenging time.
In related news, it will take some time before SEVENTEEN reunites as a full group. PLEDIS Entertainment shared updates about two members, announcing major changes for the latter half of 2024. Jeonghan is set to start mandatory military service, while Jun plans to pursue acting and other opportunities in China.