BIGHIT MUSIC Responds To BTS RM’s Recent Controversy, Triggers Outrage

Netizens are not letting it slide.

BTS leader RM’s recent controversy has landed BIGHIT MUSIC in hot water.

BTS RM | @rkive/Instagram

Recently, a Japanese news outlet, Shukan Bunshun, reported that RM was seen smoking in non-smoking public areas and littering in the Shibuya area during his short stay in Japan. This report sparked massive public criticism toward the idol.

BTS’s RM Allegedly Caught Smoking And Littering In Public Spaces

Despite the controversy spiraling, neither RM nor his label has directly addressed the issue, which has sparked even further frustration. However, on April 23, KST, iMBC published a report claiming BIGHIT MUSIC had given a statement over this issue.

According to the report, the label didn’t apologize for the incident, but rather urged media outlets not to publish articles including the paparazzi shots that Shukan Bunshun originally provided.

BIGHIT’s handling of this situation is also disappointing. When news of the incident first surfaced, the statement Big Hit provided to iMBC Entertainment was not an apology acknowledging the situation; rather, it took an ambiguous stance: ‘We are currently addressing the matter. Given that the photos in question were taken domestically by paparazzi outlets, we are requesting that media organizations refrain from publishing articles based on them. We are conveying this same position to every media outlet that contacts us.’

— iMBC

This vague response from BIGHIT MUSIC has only fanned netizens’ anger over the situation.

| Instiz

• “BIGHIT must be having a rough time, too. Lol. If only the idol just hadn’t pulled such a petty, lame stunt in the first place…”
• “All they have to do is say ‘I’m sorry.’”
• “But it’s actually surprising that they aren’t sucking up to Japan.”
• “LOL.”
• “Wow, it looks like if they ask for something not to be reported, it actually doesn’t get turned into an article. That’s fascinating!”

bighit be setting those men up even more lmfao https://t.co/FNxz9dRQaP

— c (@KTHVlBES) April 23, 2026

I’m sorry i don’t usually say this but a lot about them including the company feels off i almost thought they were just ragebaiting https://t.co/3l8AJd1PmM

— kinger (@longevousway) April 23, 2026

problem isn’t even the fact that Namjoon was smoking in the non smoking area. It’s the fact that he made a female employee kneel down in front of him to clean up his own mess. This is truly disgusting and shows what kind of a person he is. https://t.co/JkyHAo1tYG

— kooromi (@kuromix913) April 23, 2026

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