On March 15, GQ magazine released an article about the global K-pop group TXT. MOA, TXT's fandom, were initially ecstatic to see an article solely covering their beloved idol group.
Their initial excitement was quickly replaced with disappointment and outrage as they read through the article, finding it offensive and distasteful. The use of a derogatory term to describe one of the members, along with the lack of proper research, failed to accurately portray the group for who they really are.
In the wake of the article's release, outraged fans took to social media to express their displeasure. The hashtag #GQ_apologize_to_TXT quickly began trending worldwide on Twitter as fans demanded an apology from the magazine.
Fans have been particularly angry with the author's description of each member - which was edited later. The author began the article with his impression of the members and wrote, "In person, the TXT boys are all beautiful (yup) and reticent like shy teenagers (a little disarming), with pores so small you’d need an electron microscope to find them. The group consists of Soobin (the tall sexy one), Yeonjun (the other sexy one; also the consensus best dancer among the guys), Taehyun (the enthusiastic one who dominates the group chat), Huening Kai (the multiracial one who makes everyone laugh), and Beomgyu (a gentle angel from heaven)."
Some MOAs who read the article prior to its editing revealed that the author had referred to Hueningkai as "the hapa who makes everyone laugh." However, some fans pointed out that "hapa" is a derogatory term for people of mixed heritage.
HUENINGKAI IS KOREAN AMERICAN NOT A H*PA
— MOA Requested Live 📻 (@MoaRequestLive) March 15, 2023
STOP ASIAN HATE
THIS IS A SLUR IN THE US
TAKE THE ARTICLE DOWN
NOW#GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine@chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/xq9sIRzWnY
Additionally, the author referred to the fans' fandom activity as "dark art," as if referring to the subculture of fandoms as some sort of witchery or devil worship. While there may be a few fans who cross the line, such as Sasaeng fans, akgae fans, or extreme enthusiasts, it is unfair to label K-pop fandoms as "dark art." On the contrary, the genre has brought together fans worldwide, creating a global community of people who share a passion for music and performance while bridging cultural divides and promoting unity.
Fans were disappointed to find that, even after the revisions, the article continued to emphasize Hueningkai's background by referring to him as the "multiracial" one.
In addition to the offensive content of the article itself, the accompanying Twitter caption was insensitive and unnecessary, insinuating that the expectation for TXT was to be "the next BTS" rather than a unique group in their own right. Fans are very well aware of the hard work that TXT has put to put aside that label as "the next BTS" or "The second boy group from BTS's company." In fact, TXT might have had more pressure compared to other idol groups in that they had the expectation of being the successor of the biggest K-pop boy group in this generation. So fans didn't take kindly to the caption, "Their label wants them to be the next BTS. But the five young members of TXT are really looking forward to having a cheeseburger."
Due to all these things, fans are filling various social media platforms such as Twitter with hashtags such as #GQ_apologize_to_TXT and #GQ_RESPECT_TXT. They're saying that revising the article isn't enough, and they want a formal apology.
The descriptions; a term to describe a member and then not spelling his name; the questions that showed clear lack of research; the attitude towards the translator: all disrespectful. TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomal pic.twitter.com/5uIAeT344C
— ♡🦋 (@kaidater) March 15, 2023
take responsibility for all the disrespect you did to TXT. being such a famous magazine, the least you should do is take an interest in the artists and treat them with respect and changing that word for multiracial is still weird
— hueningkai talents (@hnktalents) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT pic.twitter.com/Amqn0YO1YU
the audacity to misspell one of the members name and call him slurs
— leia 🧸 (@angelB1303) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/e84jFFn068
They started to change the title guys 🤣 Yall so brave to put Xenophobic and reeks of racism but aint brave enough to post an official apologize from the writer?? Pfft- losers
— Kye ✢⁵ 🧚🪟| Cahol Ppulverse 📌 (@beargyuxth) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/6ENbTCW2Z7
tell me this is all prank like how can someone being this disrespectful and xenophobia plus yr job is a writer🙄🔪
— ✧ the littlebeary chapter ✧ | 🧸 month (@littlebearyy) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/pw4DsuUa1b
What kind of caption is THAT???
— elle (@304midzy) March 15, 2023
Huening Kai the WHAT???
GQ, do better 🤦🏻♀️
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/gWIZAKSSdl
We won't stop until they apologize to TXT ‼️
— jjuni ᥫ᭡ (@CYJ99ARCHIVES) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/LaDo7UBvhy
TAKE DOWN THE ARTICLE AND APOLOGIZE 🔥
— edith 👉👈NEVERLAND (@nightbamgyu) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/dllym7R8gu
"Rather than being the 2nd 'somebody', I'd like to show and inform people a lot of things as 'us' " - Yeonjun from 2020 Anniversary Interview
— yana (@dprjjuni) March 15, 2023
TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali pic.twitter.com/xgAB4krhls
SEE ALSO: TXT's Yeonjun builds anticipation with tracklist reveal for 'NO LABELS: PART 02'
SEE ALSO: TXT’s Yeonjun kicks off solo comeback countdown with ‘NO LABELS: PART 02’
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