TORONTO -- A rise in anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic, spurred in part by hateful rhetoric from former U.S. President Donald Trump and others 鈥 has resulted in a on Asian people, from the U.S. to
Now, K-pop stars BTS have become the target of a racist rant by a German radio host.
Host of Bavarian station 鈥,鈥 Matthias Matuschik 鈥 apparently angered by BTS鈥 cover of 鈥淔ix You鈥 by Coldplay during a recent MTV Unplugged performance 鈥 compared the Korean singers to the COVID-19 virus and said he hoped there 鈥渨ill be a vaccine for them鈥 as well.
鈥淭hese little p* brag about the fact they covered 鈥淔ix You鈥 from Coldplay, this is blasphemy鈥 Matuschik said Thursday, according to . 鈥淔or this you will be vacationing in North Korea for the next 20 years.鈥
Matuschik also tried to explain that his comments were in fact, not racist because he 鈥渉as a car from South Korea.鈥
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 accuse me of xenophobia鈥 I have the coolest car ever,鈥 he said.
Matuschik's car is a Japanese Daihatsu Copen, seen on his .
Fans of the group were quick to mobilize and demand an apology from the host and the radio station 鈥 with the hashtags and trending on Twitter.
One fan that, 鈥淎t a time of anti-Asianness, it鈥檚 not only deplorable but dangerous for someone like Matthias Matuschik to liken COVID-19 to a South Korean group like BTS. This only incites hate, violence to Asians from various backgrounds. This is disgusting @bayern3 the world is watching.鈥
Writer that the German radio host 鈥渨asn鈥檛 edgy when he said he hates BTS & likened them to COVID. He knows there鈥檚 an epidemic of hatred towards Asians, fueled by public figures like him. I sincerely hope his slander doesn鈥檛 incite physical attacks.鈥
Bayern 3 , the first saying Matuschik was giving his 鈥減ersonal opinion鈥 on BTS and their Coldplay cover, saying he 鈥渙vershot his choice of words.鈥
鈥淭his is his personal opinion of taste, regardless of the band's origin and cultural background. You don't have to share this taste, just like the quite rough expression. The story of Matthias and his actions in the past (such as his involvement in refugee aid and his constant campaign against right-wing extremism) clearly show that he is absolutely remote from xenophobia and racism in any form,鈥 the translated statement reads.
Fans weren鈥檛 buying it 鈥 and for an apology.
In the second statement, the station says they 鈥渁pologize in all forms鈥 for the remarks, and that the words the host used were unacceptable.
However, the second statement doubles down that Matuschik himself is 鈥渕iles away from racist views鈥 citing his past benevolent actions and behaviour with various marginalized groups.
Matuschik鈥檚 own comments are posted with the station鈥檚 second statement where he apologizes and says it was 鈥渘ever his intention鈥 to insult the Asian community or BTS.
This is not the first time , something their fans have stepped up to call out time and time again.
BTS prides itself on being a paragon of inclusivity, tolerance and love 鈥 an ideology the fans are fiercely protective of. They continue to campaign for a change in the way BTS and other K-pop groups are portrayed in the media 鈥 鈥淭his goes way beyond K-pop, racism is not an opinion.鈥
