LE SSERAFIM, a popular K-pop group, recently faced an unexpected wave of negative comments after posting a group video taken in front of Mt. Fuji in Japan. The video, uploaded on May 29 on the group’s official Instagram account, showed the five members smiling and making V poses with the iconic mountain in the background.
The caption read, “FEARNOTs, let’s gather with fim-doongies to see Mt. Fuji!” Despite the video quickly amassing 7.3 million views and around 300,000 likes, the majority of comments were negative.
The video appears to have been part of the filming for “LE SSERAFIM’s DAY OFF Season 4 in JAPAN,” a solo content series released episodically on their official YouTube channel. Coinciding with the video post, the fifth episode of the show was also released on the same day.
The backlash from netizens seemed to focus on the group’s choice of filming location. The animosity stems from historical tensions between South Korea and Japan, with some viewers perceiving the video as insensitive. Critics flooded the comments, attacking the group for taking a video in Japan.
LE SSERAFIM’s dedicated fanbase, known as FEARNOTs, swiftly came to the group’s defense. Fans argued that the hateful comments were unwarranted and emphasized that the members should not be blamed for the filming location.
Instead, they directed their frustration towards HYBE, the entertainment company managing LE SSERAFIM, accusing it of poor timing and decision-making. Fans suggested that HYBE should have anticipated the backlash given the sensitive nature of Korean-Japanese relations and the scrutiny faced by the group.
