Demands for change over recent aesthetics.
BTS fandom circles have erupted in debate over the group’s creative direction, with a vocal portion of ARMY openly criticizing the work of creative director Kim Sung-min — the designer behind several of BTS’s visual concepts in recent years.
Kim Sung-min, who previously worked on big projects like the PyeongChang Winter Olympics design and helped steer BTS’s branding since Dynamite, has been credited with shaping the group’s visual identity across Be and Butter.
However, some fans now argue that his recent contributions have missed the mark, leading to intense online backlash.
Should BTS get rid of their creative director Kim Sung-min?https://t.co/KJt9b4TeYl pic.twitter.com/QUTO9HqqEt
— pannchoa (@pannchoa) January 6, 2026
On forums like Instiz and Pann, critics harshly lambasted the ‘Butter’ single art and Take Two album design — claiming the visuals failed to capture the quality and identity that fans feel BTS deserves.
Comments translated from Korean include sentiments such as:
- “Since this guy took over, the group’s aesthetics have hit rock bottom.”
- “‘Butter’ was absolute crap — for a group of BTS’s worldwide status, it was extremely disappointing.”
- “Take Two literally looked like it was made in MS Paint.”
- “I’ve liked BTS for over 10 years, but that Butter logo was horrible.”
- “His cover designs all look childish.”
Some posts even used strong language to voice their frustrations, with fans calling for a fresh creative direction and expressing that the aesthetics no longer reflected what they feel BTS’s brand should represent.
Not all fans agree, however. A number of ARMY members defended the director’s work, pointing out that Butter visually aligned with the song’s playful summer concept and that design preference is subjective.
Still, the intensity of online criticism — particularly regarding recent album cover art — highlights a deeper conversation inside the fandom about BTS’s post-comeback visual identity and how it connects with fan expectations.
No official statement has been issued by HYBE, BigHit Music, or BTS in response to these fan discussions.