On September 1, a fan of the K-pop idol had commissioned a birthday billboard featuring BTS member Jungkook in celebration of the BTS member’s 24th birthday. The billboard, however, was pulled down in Pakistan’s Gujranwala after local politicians complained the band is a ‘bad influence’.
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The billboard, purchased with the permission of the Chamber of Commerce was taken down after a day. A provincial assembly candidate and member of the Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami had the ad removed after it was brought to his attention on Facebook.
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“There was so much commotion,” he told VICE. “There are young people in this city. This group has a negative influence on them and encourages them to behave in wrong activities. They promote homosexuality.”
“Why was this put up here? They don’t have a brand name here nor do they sell products here,” the politician added. “The people who put it up to call themselves the ‘Gujranwala ARMY’. There’s only the Pakistan army here.”
The Pakistani BTS fans shared their disappointment online saying:
“The older generation is a bigot, having stereotypes based on someone’s appearances.”, “It’s just an advertisement. I don’t see a problem here.”
Was it wrong for the billboard to be put up in an Islamic country in the first place or it was wrong for them to take the billboard down which had a harmless motive behind it? What do you think?
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