'After BTS, GFRIEND too' US Jewish Human Rights Group Criticizes BigHit Entertainment

After BTS, GFriend Also Criticized for Nazi Symbol Controversy

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Sowon of the girl group GFriend is facing strong backlash from Jewish organizations in the United States for a photo hugging a mannequin dressed in a Nazi uniform. The organization also pointed out that entertainers under BigHit Entertainment, to which GFriend belongs, have repeatedly caused problems.

Tweet from Jimon Bizental Center

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), a Jewish human rights organization based in Los Angeles, shared a CNN article criticizing Sowon's actions on Twitter on the 3rd (local time), stating, "It is disappointing that another K-pop group under BigHit Entertainment embraced a symbol of the Nazis."

The center's remarks refer to previous controversies involving BigHit's K-pop group BTS wearing hats featuring Nazi symbols (Hakenkreuz) in photo shoots and wearing T-shirts mocking the victims of the Nagasaki atomic bombing.

The organization had also called for an apology from BTS and BigHit Entertainment in 2018 for these reasons.

Source Music, the agency to which GFriend belongs, was incorporated as a subsidiary of BigHit Entertainment on July 29, 2019.

Earlier, Sowon posted a photo on her social media showing her embracing the waist of a male mannequin dressed in what appears to be a Nazi officer's uniform, drawing heavy criticism from overseas fans.

Sowon's agency, Source Music, apologized, saying, "We sincerely apologize for not paying careful attention to historical facts and social issues."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.