A “BTS Shrine” In Japan Faces Criticism From Korean Fans For “Using The Group For Business”
A tourist attraction in Japan has become the center of attraction, but for the wrong reasons. Self-dubbed the “BTS Shrine,” a seaside shrine in Japan, has been accused of using the group’s name for profit.
You can visit the seaside shrine for 2000 yen, or about $17.42 USD. The price allows you to pray at the shrine. It is open from 10 am to 6 pm on weekdays in the summer and until 4 pm in the winter. You can visit between 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays. It is closed on Sunday.
Alternatively, you can book a session with a priest for 5000 yen ($43.50 USD). The cave’s walls are also decorated with BTS posters and there is a photozone nearby on the sand.
Although it has been dubbed the “BTS Shrine” and has the words “BTS” plastered on the shrine itself, there seems to be another seaside god that the shrine is blessed by. Visitors also seem to pray to this god rather than BTS.
This begged the question from angry fans — just why was the shrine using BTS’s name if so? Social media has been peppered with videos showing off the location.
The priest was even made to do a BTS dance challenge.
Angry Koreans have accused the shrine of using their country’s idols for business.
- “Why are they like that”
- “I mean I wouldn’t know if they used Japanese idols but what are they doing with our country’s idols? They’re a country that’s so strict on copyright and portraiture rights but why are they not following the rules this time?”
- “What are they doing with other country’s idols? And they built a shrine at that? Crazy.”
- “They’re so strict on portraiture rights that they don’t allow photos to and fro from work and they don’t even let people near them and don’t publish the interiors of places but it seems like when it comes to another country’s singers, it doesn’t matter?”
- “Why are they using another country’s people as a tourist attraction?”
- “Gasp”
- “Seems like they’re using them to earn money but there’s no way this was agreed on”
- “Crazy”
- “They’re pathetic… who are they using like that? Crazy”
Neither HYBE nor the committee overseeing the shrine has commented on the situation yet.
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