South Korean boy band BTS star Jungkook recently faced severe backlash after wearing a black cap with the phrase 'Make Tokyo Great Again' during rehearsals for the 2025 BTS Festa. People deemed it to be "anti-Korean", and the singer has now issued an unconditional apology for disappointing his fans.
The slogan is similar to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign line 'Make America Great Again' and has also been used in Japan by political figures like Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko. Jungkook wearing the cap upset several fans in South Korea, where people found the phrase insensitive and inappropriate.
As netizens criticised Jungkook, he put out an official apology, stating that he was "careless". "I feel heavy to write this after meeting you after a long time. I sincerely apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience caused to many people by the phrase on the hat I wore during rehearsals today," he wrote, adding, "I take it seriously that I have been disappointed and hurt by my lack of wearing it without fully confirming the historical and political meaning of the phrase."
He went on to say, "I'm just sorry. There is no excuse for any reason. I wasn't good enough, I was careless. From now on, I will think more deeply and act one by one."
"I will humbly accept both the criticism and criticism of my mistake. The hat was disposed of immediately. Once again, I'm sorry," he concluded.
Jungkook’s appearance at the rehearsal also marked his first public performance since completing his military service. He joined fellow BTS members J-Hope and Jin on stage, sending fans into a tizzy with their reunion. Not just that, but Jungkook also revealed a new chest tattoo, and fans went berserk seeing him on stage post his mandatory military service.
