YouTuber Duo DKDKTV Announced A New Dating Show On Their Channel But Some ARMYs Feel They're Exploiting BTS For Clout

DKDKTV, a popular K-content YouTube channel, recently announced that they are preparing to release a new dating show on their channel. Ramyun & Chill, as the show is called, will feature 5 Korean men and five foreign women spending four days on a lakeside getaway to find “love.”

From the show’s teaser, it is clear that audiences can expect some PG-13 moments. While DKDKTV’s viewers felt that this show could be a great way to explore cultural differences, many netizens on Twitter have expressed concern that the format is too close to fetishization.

trying to romanticise fetishisation and recruiting only foreign women into your show as if to stress just how much they fit into your hypersexualisation fantasy then calling it the ultimate hookup line is crazy. it’s not too late to switch the name to “fetish paradise”

— d(ia) 🗡⁷ | ASTRONAUT 🛸 (@sugatalus) October 28, 2022

This is so shameless and beyond weird pic.twitter.com/ZkAfc5xwcz

— Jazz⁷ the astronaut👩🏾‍🚀☄️ (@BibillyHillzz) October 28, 2022

While this debate will have to wait until the episodes are released, the other set of criticism towards the show is directed at the fact that its location was chosen to be the popular property where BTS shot In The Soop season 1. This was a deliberate choice, as implied by the Tweet made by DKDKTV while posting the trailer of the show.

This is it. Our international dating reality show – #RamyunandChill . Filmed in the In The Soop location. 6 months of work, $100k spent and a lot of blood sweat and tears. Enjoy.

Full Trailer: https://t.co/FndtSGGm3R pic.twitter.com/qc1kOtIN0X

— ᴅᴋᴅᴋᴛᴠ (@dkdktv92) October 27, 2022

Many ARMYs were displeased with the fact that the channel was intentionally using BTS’s name to market the show, though in the past, Danny Kim, one of the DKDKTV duo, was heavily criticized for disrespecting BTS during a podcast on the channel. Danny went on record to say, “People are exhausted from getting so much exposure to BTS. I do feel like we need some fresh faces in the industry.” While many still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt at that time, he started replying to anybody criticizing his comment with aggressive language, which severely damaged the channel’s reputation.

July, 2019. Danny Kim. Made a video featuring Tamar Herman “journalist” from Billboard to a podcast titled “The future of kpop and BTS” where they dedicated 1:32 minutes to criticize BTS success in the west and blame the failure of other bg and gg on BTS’s success. pic.twitter.com/dg7hI43EDV

— SҽxყNUKIM- 💣⁷ Semi IA (@bangtanreceipts) July 20, 2019

Even after actually admitting their financial dependency on BTS’s continuity. ” I want more BTS so that I can sustain my channel, I’ll be effin honest with you.” -Danny pic.twitter.com/rJAmiS4pVs

— SҽxყNUKIM- 💣⁷ Semi IA (@bangtanreceipts) July 20, 2019

Later, Danny posted an apology video together with David Kim, the other half of the DKDKTV duo, but most ARMYs didn’t quite feel the sincerity. As a channel that had gained a significant amount of viewership from making BTS-related, good-quality content, the credibility of DKDKTV seemed to have dropped down for the fandom.

I was just reading this, and I forgot to add these to the thread. That took place like a day after he said he was going to “take a break”. pic.twitter.com/7fzpzbphQJ

— SҽxყNUKIM- 💣⁷ Semi IA (@bangtanreceipts) August 14, 2019

Dkdktv subscribers going down, Army unsubscribe if you haven’t and also stop giving clout or views to people who just mentions BTS, block that Tam*r girl
Let’s go back to streaming #ARMYCYPHERPARTY pic.twitter.com/rrwlEi19qK

— 🦋 (@jaafar660) July 19, 2019

Even recently, the two found themselves in hot water over their comments on BTS’s military enlistment.

Didn’t you say u want bts to pay you for 2 years if they want to get exempted??? Said they made money for themself not for the country over and over again?? and kept dragging them even after they announced about the enlistment??

— Nancy⁷❥ •᷄ʚ•᷅ (@N11nyNancy) October 28, 2022

Apart from ARMYs, Danny has also received criticism in the past from Ahgases after GOT7 member BamBam shaded him for his crude comments regarding the group’s reunion. In fact, from time to time, different K-Pop fandoms have been displeased by the channel for slandering groups one second and then praising them for “clout” the next.

BLINKS have been telling y’all how problematic DKDKTV are and y’all thought it was because of their stupid KTL reaction. no hunny they do this sh*t for clout. glad the kpop community is cancelling them.

— lex ✂️ 👻 (@LEXNINIS) July 19, 2019

Also engenes need to stop paying attention to those dkdktv or whatever their name is. They're well known 4ntis, they use artists for clout, they are very problematic. I don't know why kpop fans in general watch their videos even if it's to make fun of them, just don't..

— Ava (@PDJONGSEONG) July 30, 2021

With such a reputation among different K-Pop fandoms, it is only normal that ARMYs felt it objectable to deliberately insert BTS into the business of a prospectively scandalous show. But whether it will affect the viewership or not remains to be seen.