BTS’ Jin, Jimin and V’s Spring Day live had ARMYs in tears — so why the hate and attacks?

In what was one of the most emotional moments for BTS ARMY over the weekend, Jin, Jimin, and V reunited on stage during Jin’s tour. The trio performed old favourites, including Spring Day — a song that has long served as a love letter between BTS and their fans for nearly a decade.

The impromptu performance was filled with heartwarming moments — Jin urging V to join him on stage, Jimin softly singing parts of the song, and the crowd swaying along.  V also shed a few tears, as he was on stage.

However, the reunion quickly became the centre of online debate. Several social media users criticised the performance, labelling it “appalling” and “awful.” The familiar K-pop fan wars reignited, with some claiming that even ARMY members were disappointed, and others pointing out that Jin’s tour allegedly failed to sell out the stadium. Some quickly noted that it was a last-minute tour, too.

Dedicated ARMYs, however, were quick to defend the performance. Many combed through the wave of negative comments and discovered that several accounts belonged to fans of rival groups — some even declaring their allegiance in their usernames. Users with the name @Jennie and @Rose in the usernames were spotted frequently, pointing to the ongoing feud between the two rival groups.

Those hating the performance, had never been BTS ARMY's either, and used explicit profanities, expressing how the 'band always had the worst vocalists'. Others gleefully predicted that the “world tour was going to be an absolute mess,” seemingly waiting for it to fail.

Still, many fans were deeply moved. “The Spring Day acapella was something I didn’t know I needed,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Jin singing Spring Day without music — everyone was so quiet. It was just him and his voice.” Others questioned the wave of negativity, with one post reading, “What’s up with the BTS hate campaign? It just feels so forced.”

This backlash comes amid months of growing online hostility towards BTS. From rumours surrounding Jimin and actor Song Da-eun’s relationship to the controversy over their attendance at a breast cancer awareness gala, where they were accused of trivialising the cause, tensions in the K-pop fandom space appear to be running high once again.