BTS's Jungkook released his first solo song, "Seven," featuring Latto on 14 July 2023. The song made history by achieving 1 billion streams on Spotify in just 108 days.
Fans felt that Billboard's original tweet, which mentioned Latto and not Jungkook, was a slight to the non-American artist.
In response to the backlash, Billboard deleted their initial tweet and posted a new one focusing solely on Jungkook and his track.
Jung Kook broke this massive Spotify record! 🎉 #BillboardNews pic.twitter.com/HvOCdd7pZ0
— billboard (@billboard) October 31, 2023
After the new tweet was posted, ARMYs took to Twitter to express their reviews. They emphasized that when addressing artists, responsible accounts like Billboard should show respect from the beginning, rather than waiting for backlash to prompt it.
Thanks for correcting! Don't make mistakes with the BTS members anymore, respect Jungkook's work!
— OG ⁷ (@OurGalaxyfb) October 31, 2023
STREAM IN SEVEN
However, opinions within the ARMY community were divided, with some appreciating the second tweet, while others argued that it still did not respect Latto, and many considered both tweets unprofessional.
It’s crazy that everyone under here is trying to disregard Latto but didn’t do the same thing for L&R. Respect for both artists shouldn’t be that hard. And shame on @billboard to act like Latto isn’t part of the song as well. Both posts were unprofessional.
— CloverTheHENRY (@earthsemerald) October 31, 2023
The lesson to be learned from incidents like this is the importance of respecting every individual when sharing thoughts or addressing someone. Treating everyone equally is essential when expressing your ideas to others.
Furthermore, when dealing with fan communities like BTS ARMY, it's crucial to think twice before making statements because they are fiercely protective of their idols and will not tolerate any mistreatment.
