TV station cancels K-Pop stars BTS over nuke shirt

TOKYO: A Japanese television station has cancelled a performance by the wildly popular Korean boyband BTS, after controversy erupted over a shirt worn by a member appear ing to show the mushroom cloud created by an atomic bomb.

The international superstars were due to perform on on Friday, but the station abruptly cancelled the show after a photo of member Jimin wearing the shirt went viral.

“BTS’s appearance scheduled for the 9th has been cancelled,”

said in a statement.

members wore made headlines and became controversial,” the station added, saying it had dis cussed the “intention” behind the shirt with the band’s record label and ultimately decided to “cancel their appearance.”

BTS issued their own statement on the row, but gave no details on why the show had been postponed.

“We apologize for disappointing fans who were looking forward to this. BTS will continue their efforts to connect with fans on stage and also through music,” the group said on their website.

The offending shirt fea tured the phrase “PATRIOTISM OURHISTORY LIBERATION KOREA” repeated multiple times alongside an image of an atomic bomb explosion and another of Koreans celebrating liberation.

BTS member Jimin reportedly wore the shirt last year, on Au gust 15, when Koreans celebrate the end of Japanese occupation in 1945.

Ties between Japan and South Korea continue to be soured by bitter disputes over history and territory stemming from Japan’s

the peninsula.

Last month, Tokyo reacted furi ously after South Korea’s top court ordered a Japanese steel giant to compensate victims of wartime forced labor programs.