The group’s animated trailer for Arirang has triggered mixed reactions after depicting Howard University, with some praising the historical reference and others calling it tone-deaf.
The teaser, released March 12, reimagines a real 1896 moment when Korean students at Howard became among the first to record Korean music in the United States — a detail many viewers found meaningful and educational.
But the execution quickly became a flashpoint.
Critics online argued the animation underrepresented Black students on the historically Black campus, with some calling it “disrespectful” and accusing the production of “whitewashing” the setting.
On Reddit and other platforms, reactions ranged from disappointment to outright backlash. One user wrote the depiction felt like “erasure,” while others questioned how such a portrayal made it through production.
Still, not everyone agrees.
Some fans defended BTS, pointing to the trailer’s intent to spotlight a little-known cultural connection between Korea and the US, rather than serve as a fully accurate historical recreation.
As of now, neither BTS nor their agency has publicly addressed the criticism — but the debate is only adding fuel to an already high-stakes comeback.
One thing is clear: BTS’s return isn’t just making noise — it’s starting conversations.