BTS member Jimin. Provided by Big Hit Music
‘There is a heated debate regarding the fan meeting and goods sales of Jimin, a member of the boy band BTS.’, ‘Jimin’s father, Mr. Park, was planning to hold a fan meeting in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan on the 11th, but it got canceled. This was supposed to be an event to celebrate the opening of a café operated by Mr. Park in Japan.’, ‘The organizers stated, “We respect Mr. Park’s wishes even our Japanese staff. We are preparing to communicate with as many people as possible, but we anticipate a large crowd due to Mr. Park’s first visit to a store in Japan,”.’,
Goods from the café operated by Jimin’s father (left) and goods with Jimin’s father’s signature, which are currently not for sale. Website capture
‘The café also sells café goods. They offer various café-related items such as t-shirts, necklaces, hats, hand cream, mostly in the symbolic color of BTS, ‘purple.’ The products also feature items symbolizing Jimin’s birth year, ‘1995.’ The prices of the products range from 30,000 to 50,000 won.’, ‘It is known that Mr. Park is enjoying a level of popularity comparable to that of a celebrity due to Jimin’s high popularity. Reviews from those who visited the café show that a continuous line of fans waiting to receive Mr. Park’s autograph remains, with endless queues forming.’, ‘The issue revolves around the goods created with Mr. Park’s signature and the canceled fan meeting in Japan this time. Criticisms have been raised that he is profiting personally by leveraging the popularity of BTS and Jimin. Concerns have also been voiced that various events held at Mr. Park’s café could potentially damage Jimin’s image.’,
Fans waiting in line to receive Jimin’s father’s autograph at the café operated by Jimin’s father. Online community capture
‘Mr. Park’s fan meeting has also faced criticism on the same grounds. Similar criticisms were made right before the event. The exact reason for the event cancellation has not been disclosed.’, ‘However, there is also a supportive opinion surrounding Mr. Park. It is noted that several fan services provided by Mr. Park help satisfy the longing of ARMYs wanting to see Jimin. Some argue that since Mr. Park is Jimin’s father, there is no issue with engaging in profit-driven activities related to Jimin.’, ‘It has been highlighted that Mr. Park has been donating instant noodles to low-income households for the past three years, sparking further debate in related online communities.’, ‘Jimin is currently serving in the military. Jimin enlisted together with fellow member Jungkook in December last year. Jimin’s expected discharge date is June 2025.’, ‘Reporter Lee Sun-myeong [email protected]’, Sports Kyunghyang Headlines, ‘▶ Sports Kyunghyang SNS ‘, , , ‘▶ ‘, , , ‘▶ ‘, , ‘[ⓒSports Kyunghyang(‘, , ‘), All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited]’,