Why are SEVENTEEN's Korean fans planning 'boycott' of upcoming album and FOLLOW encore concert?

SEVENTEEN's fans in South Korea are planning to boycott the group's upcoming encore tour and albums due to recent controversies. Read on to know more.

By Pratyusha Dash

Updated on Jan 30, 2024 | 07:41 PM IST | 462.9K

SEVENTEEN (Image Credits- Pledis Entertainment)

SEVENTEEN fans in Korea have taken a firm stance by declaring a boycott against the group's upcoming encore concert series. The controversy stems from SEVENTEEN's announcement of plans to embark on a tour that includes both Korea and Japan, sparking discontent among some fans.

In addition to the tour controversy, another issue has emerged involving SEVENTEEN allegedly throwing shade at the achievements of other major K-pop groups. This revelation has further fueled discontent among fans and intensified the ongoing controversy.

What is the controversy surrounding SEVENTEEN?

SEVENTEEN fans in Korea have announced a boycott against the group's upcoming encore concert series and albums. Tensions arose after news surfaced that SEVENTEEN would host an encore concert tour in Korea and Japan. The backlash primarily concerns Korean fans' dissatisfaction with the group's decision to commemorate their 9th anniversary in Japan rather than Korea. This decision has left Korean fans feeling disheartened and excluded from the celebratory events, increasing their disappointment and alienation.

The unexpected decision has sparked dissatisfaction among CARATS, the dedicated fan base, prompting them to swiftly organize a widespread boycott of the highly anticipated encore concert series and albums. This discontent has not only spread within the fan community but has also spilled over onto various social media platforms. Korean CARATS are gathering on these platforms to voice their frustrations and coordinate protest efforts. The hashtag #SEVENTEENBoycott has gained momentum as fans share their concerns and seek solidarity for their cause. As emotions run high and fans express their concerns on various fronts, the fate of SEVENTEEN's encore concert and the reputation of Pledis Entertainment are at stake.

Pledis Entertainment's downplaying of BLACKPINK, TWICE and NCT controversy

Pledis Entertainment has also recently faced criticism for appearing to minimize the achievements of artists like BLACKPINK, NCT, and TWICE. On January 29, a post titled Pledis Turning Other Artists Concerts Into One-Offs gained traction online. The post featured an article from Pledis asserting that SEVENTEEN was the sole idol group, apart from BTS, to have embarked on a stadium tour.

In the post, Pledis highlighted that SEVENTEEN successfully engaged with 700,000 fans across nine cities through 20 concerts held in Seoul, Tokyo, Saitama, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, Bangkok, Bulacan, and Macau. Notably, the concerts in Japan were hosted in dome stadiums, underscoring SEVENTEEN's ticket-selling prowess as they performed in stadiums in Macau, Bangkok, and Bulacan. Pledis emphasized that, excluding one-off events, SEVENTEEN stands as the sole K-Pop group, alongside BTS, to have undertaken a stadium tour.

The post's author proceeded to criticize Pledis for seemingly undermining the accomplishments of other artists by labeling their stadium performances as "One-offs." They pointed out that while comparing concert sizes, NCT had conducted a stadium tour in both Korea and Japan. Interestingly, SM Entertainment never referred to these tours as "One-offs," yet Pledis did so in their article. This led to speculation about the peculiar nature of Pledis's marketing strategy. Furthermore, the author mentioned that commenters had highlighted that BLACKPINK and TWICE had also embarked on stadium tours, but Pledis seemingly downplayed their achievements, rendering them insignificant.

Netizens reacted strongly to the post, with a significant number expressing frustration and anger towards Pledis Entertainment. Many fans voiced bewilderment, questioning why Pledis felt the need to disparage other artists when SEVENTEEN is already highly successful on its own merits. Others highlighted Pledis's apparent attempt to equate SEVENTEEN's achievements with those of BTS, which they viewed as unnecessary and potentially misleading.

The convergence of both controversies has significantly intensified the situation, fueling dissatisfaction among Korean fans towards the group and its agency. While there hasn't been a mass exodus from the fandom, many fans have declared boycotts against SEVENTEEN's concerts and upcoming merchandise, including albums. This collective action threatens to result in financial losses for the agency.

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