BTS: K-pop group's management defends band amid atomic bomb t-shirt and Nazi symbol controversies

BTS's management company has defended the group after it came under fire for two controversies involving an atomic bomb t-shirt and Nazi imagery.

Big Hit Entertainment, which manages the popular South Korean boy band, spoke out on social media Tuesday, addressing several accusations made against the group.

Last week, a scheduled appearance by BTS on a Japanese TV show was cancelled after one of its members was seen wearing a t-shirt featuring an image of an atomic bomb, next to the English words "PATRIOTISM OUR HISTORY LIBERATION KOREA.

In addition to this controversy, the group has been criticised by a leading Jewish human rights organisation over an alleged image of one of the band's members wearing a hat featuring the logo of the Death's Head Units, the SS organisation that administered the Nazi concentration camp, during a photo shoot.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center also denounced BTS for waving flags featuring a symbol that was "eerily similar to the Nazi swastika" on stage.

All three topics were addressed by Big Hit Entertainment, which said it doesn't condone the messages associated with the images while still defending the band and insisting that its members are "in no way responsible".

"In all activities involving BTS and any other artists associated with our company, Big Hit does not condone any activities of war or the use of atomic weapons, is adamantly against them, had no intention of causing distress or pain to anyone affected by the dropping of atomic weapons, and we will continue to adhere to these principles," the company said.

"In all activities involving BTS and any other artists associated with our company, Big Hit does not support any organisations or groups oriented towards political extremism and totalitarian beliefs including Nazism, is against all such entities and activities, had no intention of causing distress or pain to anyone affected by historical events and incidents by being inadvertently associated with such organisations or groups, and we will continue to adhere to these principles."

Bit Hit Entertainment said the atomic bomb incident was "in no way intentional" and apologised "not only for failing to take the precautions that could have prevented the wearing of such clothing by our artist that inadvertently inflicted pain on anyone affected by the use of atomic weapons, but to anyone who may have experienced distress and discomfort by witnessing the association of our artists with imagery related to atomic bombings".

Japan colonised Korea from 1910 to 1945. Its liberation followed the defeat of Japan during World War II.

More than 200,000 people died after the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and millions of Koreans were oppressed under the Japanese rule. Atomic warfare thus remains a highly sensitive topic between the two countries.

As for the hat controversy, Big Hit Entertainment said the incident, which saw one of BTS's members wear "a hat displaying a logo reminiscent of Nazi symbolism", was "in no way intentional".

"Although all apparel and accessories used during the photo shoot had been provided by the publication conducting the shoot, we would like to offer our sincere apologies for inadvertently inflicting pain and distress to anyone affected by totalitarian regimes in the past by failing to strictly review the clothing and accessories that our members were made to wear, as well as to anyone who may have experienced distress and discomfort by witnessing an association of our artists with imagery reminiscent of political extremism," the company added.

Big Hit Entertainment said it "bears all responsibilities for not providing the necessary and careful support to our artist that may have prevented these issues".

The company appeared to relieve the boy band members of all responsibility, adding: "We would like to make clear that our artists, especially due to their extensive schedules and the complexities of on-site conditions, are in no way responsible for any of the issues outlined above."

Finally, Big Hit Entertainment said the performance during which members waved flags featuring a logo closely resembling the Nazi swastika was part of a commemoration of another Korean artist, and that "the flags and images were creative elements completely unrelated to national socialism, and the core message of the performance itself was criticism against restrictively uniform and authoritarian educational systems".

"The performance is in no way associated with National Socialism as some observers have alleged, and in fact it should be noted that the performance includes creative elements that are designed to direct criticism against these very elements of totalitarianism," it added.

The management company said it has contacted associations in Japan and in Korea in addition to writing a letter to the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

BTS have also been criticised after photos emerged of band members visibly posing at the site of the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. Big Hit Entertainment's statement did not address this specific incident.

The boy band's popularity does not seem to have been affected by its several controversies.

BTS, which has a loyal fan base around the world, was named Music Group of 2018 during the People's Choice Awards on Sunday night.

In May this year, the group became the first K Pop act to ever top the Billboard Artist 100 chart.