South Korean MP apologises for sharing BTS member Jungkook’s photo
jungkook #jungkook
On Thursday, South Korea’s MP Ryu Ho-jeong apologised after intense backlash from BTS fans when she used pictures of tattooed singer Jungkook to support a bill she is drafting to relax laws around getting tattoos.
As the BTS fan ARMY is particularly protective of their idols, fans attacked her for dragging him into politics even though Ryu Ho-jeong hadn’t even claimed that she had Jungkook’s support. The South has rigid restrictions on tattooing, which while not illegal is categorised as a medical procedure, and can only be performed by a qualified doctor.
Even though tattoos are becoming more widespread in recent years, celebrities still prefer to hide theirs before making television appearances.
Ryu, who is a BTS fan, shared photos of Jungkook on her social media accounts, that had symbols and the word ARMY, a reference to BTS fans, tattooed on his right hand, and others in which he covered them with a long white sleeve.
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“Have you seen your favourite celebrities covered in bandages on their bodies?” she wrote. “This hideous sight is the result of television stations’ regulations on tattoos.”
Ryu is proposing a bill to allow trained tattooists to be legally certified. However, her social media accounts with flooded with angry comments from the BTS fan army. “Don’t use a celebrity for your political agenda,” said one fan. “I’m glad I had already stopped supporting your party.”
“I’d like to apologise if anyone is offended,” she added. Yet, despite the heavy flak and criticism, she did not delete the photos from her accounts.