South Korean K-pop group BTS is facing a backlash in China over comments made by a member about the Korean War.
In a speech, the band's leader, known as RM, mentioned the "history of pain" South Korea shared with the United States during the 1950-53 conflict, in which the two countries fought together.
But his remarks angered Chinese social media users, as Beijing supported the North during the war.
The controversy also appears to have affected trade agreements.
Ads with BTS from companies like Samsung, sports brand Fila and car maker Hyundai have disappeared from numerous Chinese websites or social media platforms, although it is not clear who removed them.
K-pop has a large following in China and BTS - one of the most successful groups - are no different, with at least five million fans on the popular Chinese social media platform Weibo.
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RM's comments came when BTS received an award to celebrate relations between the United States and South Korea.
"We will always remember the history of pain our two nations shared together and the sacrifices of countless men and women," he said.
But his words received an angry response from some social media users in China, who also noted the losses their country suffered during the war.
"They [BTS] they shouldn't make money from China, "commented one user on Weibo, the Reuters news agency reported." If you want to make money from Chinese fans you have to consider Chinese feelings. "
According to the Global Times, a state newspaper with a nationalist perspective, "Chinese netizens said the band's totally one-sided attitude towards the Korean War hurts their feelings and negates the story," adding that the comments were designed. to "play" the US public.
About 200,000 South Korean soldiers and 36,000 American soldiers died in the Korean War, as well as millions of civilians. Chinese state media said 180,000 Chinese soldiers also lost their lives.
It was difficult to gauge the extent of the backlash to RM's comments among Chinese BTS fans. Some were asking each other to stay calm and quiet on Weibo posts. And a number of people on Twitter defended the group, pointing out that RM's speech did not directly mention China.
The seven members of BTS are world famous and have broken numerous records. Earlier this year, their single Dynamite became the most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours, with 101.1 million views in one day.
The controversy comes just days before Big Hit Entertainment, the agency that manages BTS, goes public in Seoul with an initial public offering that should estimate the company up to $ 4 billion (£ 3 billion).
