Jungkook Lands In Controversy Over Japan ‘MAGA’ Hat(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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On June 11, 2025, Jimin and Jungkook were discharged from the military, and their pictures went viral on social media platforms. The ARMY (BTS fandom) has gone crazy, and it’s the K-pop band that has been trending on X (previously known as Twitter), Instagram, and other social media platforms for the last couple of days. Soon after the discharge, Jungkook made a special appearance at J-Hope’s concert in Seoul, leaving the fans in a frenzy.
However, what could have been a great experience turned into a nightmare as the K-pop artist got into a controversy over a clothing piece that he wore to the concert. Now, he has apologized to his fans as well. But here’s what had happened and why people were against it. Scroll ahead.
Jungkook’s Hat Sparks Controversy After Military Discharge
On June 13, J-Hope brought Jungkook as a special guest at his concert in Seoul. He took the stage alongside his friend and even performed ‘Seven’ for the fans. Although the show was quite a hit, his chest tattoo became a hot topic of discussion. But ahead of the show, Jungkook was seen rehearsing wearing a hat that featured the phrase ‘Make Tokyo Great Again.’
People were quick to figure out that the cap was supposed to be a spoof of the phrase ‘Make America Great Again’ or ‘MAGA,’ which Donald Trump and his supporters use. Now, this whole scenario, along with the fact that the relationship between South Korea and Japan is not great, led to a lot of mixed reactions. Many might not know that South Korea and Japan have some issues because of the atrocities committed while the country was annexed.
BTS’s Jungkook spotted wearing controversial ‘Make Tokyo Great Again’ cap linked to anti-LGBTQ and anti-Korean sentiments pic.twitter.com/bTeE2EBHB1
Many netizens took the Korean social media platform, TheQoo, by storm and shared their opinions on it. One person wrote according to Koreaboo, “Ah Jungkook, seriously!! Sigh… what are you doing right after being discharged?” Another one stated, “Japanese far-right hat! No way to defend this.” Others shared their disappointment on X. One such fan commented, “As an ARMY, I’m so disappointed…” Another comment can be read as, “Magakook take accountability for this.”
Jungkook Issues Heartfelt Apology on Weverse After Backlash Over Controversial Hat
Now, Jungkook has apologized for wearing such a controversial hat and even shared that he has discarded it. Through Weverse, he wrote, “Hello, this is Jungkook. It’s been a while since I’ve written to you, and having to do so like this makes my heart heavy. I sincerely apologize for the disappointment and discomfort caused by the phrase written on the hat I wore during today’s rehearsal. I fully acknowledge that my lack of awareness in not thoroughly checking the historical and political meaning behind the phrase led to causing disappointment and hurt, and I accept this heavily. I am just sorry. There is no excuse for this under any circumstance. I was careless and lacking in judgment. From now on, I will think and act more carefully, step by step. I will humbly accept all criticism and reproach for my mistake. I have immediately discarded the hat. Once again, I sincerely apologize.”
Well, what are your thoughts about it? Let us know.
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