SEVENTEEN’s The8 faces backlash over closing comments in Bangkok (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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SEVENTEEN’s The8 faces backlash over his comments at the recent Bangkok concert. While giving his closing remarks, the K-pop idol talked in his mother tongue, which triggered many people. Some pointed out that he was in Thailand and didn’t need to speak a different language, which had “nothing to do” with the concert. However, his fans have come to his defense, pointing out that he has every right to speak his mother tongue as he wants.
On February 16, SEVENTEEN held the final day of the RIGHT HERE WORLD TOUR concerts in Bangkok. In the end, all the members gave their closing comments when The8 also delivered a message in Chinese, which is his mother tongue. He expressed gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support during the entire world tour.
However, his message wasn’t adequately conveyed to the fans as a sudden backlash was against him. On various social media platforms, people criticized The8 for speaking in Chinese at a Thailand concert. One user commented, “No hate to him, but this disrespects Thai fans and the KOREAN-Thai interpreter who was there.”
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No hate to him but this is so disrespectful to Thai fans and the KOREAN-Thai interpeter who was there. I don’t know why some of you guys didn’t see it as a problem when it wasn’t professional at all 🥲 Sure he got the full right to speak his mother tongue, but it’s not here? https://t.co/OIJOAuhmSA
Another wrote, “…He never spit a single Thai Phrase in Thailand but decided to speak Chinese, and that’s what it hurts.” One user also claimed that many K-pop idols expect to meet Chinese fans in Thailand, and since they allegedly can’t hold concerts in China all the time, they speak in Chinese in Bangkok. The Thain found it “rude.”
I dont know him but if u not thai fans u should stfu about sinophobia here bcs theyre not. Its an issue that a lot of artist think they come to thailand to meet c-fans (since they cant hold concert in china) so they always speak chinese here and its kind of rude to thai fans. https://t.co/bMVOsYGfrj
For the english speakers that’s mad in the qoutes, the problem is not that he spoke his mother tongue, it’s that in the translated ment he only thanked the chinese fans who “came all the way here & always supporting them”when its not even their country. It’s the time & place. https://t.co/2048U7rSsq
Meanwhile, many fans have also defended him on various social media platforms. One X user wrote that he wasn’t being disrespectful, but he often mixes Chinese and Korean to interact with fans, not just in Thailand but everywhere else.
Another fan pointed out that the viral clip, which sparked outrage on social media, only showed the part where the SEVENTEEN member spoke in Chinese but cleverly cut out the previous part. They claimed that The8 first expressed his gratitude in Korean and then in his mother tongue.
Minghao spoke in Korean first, then it got translated to Thai, and then he spoke in Chinese Mandarin after that, since there were also Chinese carats watching, and I think the words he said in Korean have the same thoughts. And he only used his mother tongue during the day 2… pic.twitter.com/2AqXUwt3Io
full video where you can see minghao speaking in Korean and it being translated in thai.He often speaks in chinese too after Korean in many stops which includes America during his birthday, In korea itself in Singapore. He was not being disrespectful 🙏pic.twitter.com/ROTgxqKkB5https://t.co/vFGi6FtL1D
he ONLY spoke chinese in bangkok??? lies! he’s been speaking chinese in his ments ever since and in other stops too. yesterday he spoke in korean first which was translated into thai after. fuck all of you for not appreciating minghao enough! https://t.co/cAISTwllH6pic.twitter.com/txvajuoROF
Q. Why did Minghao speak in Chinese in Thailand?
– Minghao, as a Chinese member, often expresses himself in Chinese because it’s his native language. It’s common for him to do this during ending ments.
Within a few hours of SEVENTEEN’s performance in Thailand, a sudden hate wave emerged against the Chinese K-pop idol. Amid the chaos, his agency PLEDIS Entertainment has yet to make a comment.
SEVENTEEN embarked on their RIGHT-HERE WORLD TOUR in October 2024. Then, the group visited many cities across the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia, finishing with concerts in Thailand.
The setlist included some of the greatest hits ever, including Maestro, Adore U, Fearless, God of Music, Water, Monster, and more.
Apart from The8, SEVENTEEN has 12 more members: S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. Formed by HYBE’s subsidiary PLEDIS Entertainment, the group made their debut in 2015. It took them some time to rise to global fame, but the group has been enjoying newfound success lately. From ranking high on global charts to winning accolades, the K-pop act has established a solid foothold in the worldwide music industry.
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