A parody of BTS on Chilean TV mocked the South Korean supergroup, associated its members with North Korea’s dictator and made fun of the Korean language.
A clear message from ARMY, BTS’s fan base, followed: Racist, anti-Asian rhetoric won't be tolerated. nyti.ms/3dc3MmA
On the show “Mi Barrio,” which aired on Saturday in Chile, comedians dressed up as BTS and introduced themselves by referring to Kim Jong-un.
Asked to say something in Korean, one spoke in accented gibberish. nyti.ms/3g2KQIV
At a time of increased anti-Asian racism and violence around the world, outrage about the “Mi Barrio” episode quickly spread.
Some BTS fans linked the jokes to incidents of racism and xenophobia that have flared since the coronavirus surfaced in China.
In addition to record-breaking runs at the top of the Billboard charts, dozens of platinum-selling singles and countless awards, BTS boasts a very powerful fandom. ARMYs use their might and numbers to promote BTS and rally for change.
A Chilean BTS fan account pushed people to file a complaint with the National Television Council.
In a conciliatory, but not wholly apologetic statement, the show vowed to “continue to improve, learn, listen and strengthen our intention: to bring entertainment to families.”
BTS has not commented on the “Mi Barrio” episode. But the group released a statement in March about increased attacks against Asians: “We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected.” nyti.ms/3g2KQIV
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Breaking News: The U.S. will seek to pause Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine after six women developed rare blood clots, officials briefed on the decision said. nyti.ms/3a774pD
All six recipients who developed clots were women between the ages of 18 and 48. One woman died and a second woman has been hospitalized in critical condition, officials said.
Scientist from the FDA and CDC will jointly examine possible links between the vaccine and the rare clotting disorder and determine whether the FDA should continue to authorize use of the shot for all adults. nytimes.com/2021/04/13/us/…
The smell of damp earth filled the air as the hunter moved, clutching a homemade rifle, with only a headlamp to illuminate his prey. But he was confident. A member of the Bunun, an Indigenous group in Taiwan, he has hunted on this land for over 60 years. nyti.ms/2QnNnCA
For thousands of years, Indigenous people in Taiwan hunted without interference.
But around 400 years ago, colonial settlers began arriving from mainland China, Europe and later imperial Japan, leading to frequent violent clashes. nyti.ms/3a8Xr9J
Ultimately, the Indigenous people of Taiwan were forced to curtail their hunting traditions, assimilate their cultures and languages, and forgo their land rights.
In response to economic and social marginalization, an Indigenous rights movement has emerged in recent decades.
Breaking News: The Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, at a traffic stop did so accidentally, and meant to fire a Taser instead, the police chief said. nyti.ms/3g3PNRZ
Body-camera video shown at a news conference on Monday depicted a struggle between Wright and Brooklyn Center police officers before one officer fired her gun. The officer, who was not publicly identified, has been placed on leave, Chief Tim Gannon said. nyti.ms/3tdfMtT
The police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, should be fired, said the mayor of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, where the shooting took place. “I do fully support releasing the officer of her duties,” Mayor Mike Elliott said. nyti.ms/3uLnZpC
In the U.S., a country with one of the worst outbreaks in the world, nine in 100 people are known to have had the coronavirus.
In prisons, the rate is 34 in 100, more than three times as high. nyti.ms/3uDJOar
Since last March, New York Times reporters have tracked every known coronavirus case in every correctional setting in the U.S., including state and federal prisons, immigrant detention centers, juvenile detention facilities, and county and regional jails. nyti.ms/3uDJOar
The virus has killed prisoners at higher rates than the general population. At least 2,700 have died in custody, where access to quality health care is poor. nyti.ms/3uDJOar
Europe has once again swelled with new coronavirus cases, driving a worrisome global surge.
But this time, the rise in new cases is being propelled by a variant first seen in Britain, which swept that nation in December. nyti.ms/3sZlBuN
As the variant surged in Britain, it was seeding outbreaks across the continent, many of them unnoticed behind an overall drop in cases. Those variant-heavy outbreaks have since ballooned, becoming dominant in more than a dozen European countries. nyti.ms/3sZlBuN
The variant, known as B.1.1.7, is now spreading in at least 114 countries.
Its devastating effects are most prevalent in Europe, where thousands are dying each day and economies are again being hit by new restrictions on daily life. nyti.ms/3sZlBuN