Mumbai: BTS’s return to American television has transpired into a controversy, angering the fans of the boy band. The Tonight Show, starring Jimmy Fallon, was positioned as the band’s first appearance on American screens after their reunion and the release of ARIRANG. However, the special taping of the show garnered massive backlash.
The centre of the controversy involved a staff member remarking, “Which one of them is from North Korea?” The comment, viewed as racist, politically insensitive and xenophobic, outraged BTS fans. They stated that the global stars got reduced to a geopolitical stereotype.
Multiple fans, who attended the taping of the show, took to social media to address the mismanagement, mistreatment and racism. One wrote, “Truly do not even know what to say, which is impressive and, let’s be honest, completely un-me. This situation is both absurd and embarrassingly unprofessional at the same time.” They added, “Now, while @jimmyfallon and @FallonTonight obviously cannot personally supervise every single member of staff, staff are still the people chosen to represent them.” A second netizen wrote, “@jimmyfallon You should be ashamed of yourself and your team. You should apologise to BTS with your head bowed and make amends for the disrespect you showed to ARMY. You were the only person in America we didn’t think was racist, but now you’ve become a huge disappointment.”
This is what you did @FallonTonight BTS were always right y’all can never respect someone who isn’t from West https://t.co/cKaeJ38vk7 pic.twitter.com/wY0sW07094
— JAEKAY✮ (@jeonisdarling) March 25, 2026
Meanwhile, fans claimed that wasn’t the only problem with the taping. Those who attended spoke of the draining experience they had to endure.
Another commented, “They showed us BTS performing and interacting with other people in another room THREE TIMES while we were locked away in the same building. We were under the impression that other wristband holders would get the same experience.” One recollected, “not only did you think it was okay to split the audience for the SWIM performance, only allowing ppl who YOUR staff thought deserved to see it based on who knows? (looks) even though their was enough room for all…(sic).”
Fans, who travelled across cities and states, said they felt betrayed.