YouTube hosts some of the largest and most loyal fandoms around the world, and two such fandoms are crossing over in a big way. In a recent video, Felix Kjellberg (better known as PewDiePie) reacted to footage of an obsessive fan of the Korean pop band BTS, and discussed the BTS fandom's intense fixation on their idols.
To provide some insight into how massive these two communities are, PewDiePie currently has 102 million subscribers on YouTube, and is one of the biggest creators on the platform. In comparison, although BTS uploads videos across various channels with different subscriber bases, their videos consistently garner hundreds of millions of views over a very short time. Both fandoms are also no strangers to controversy, as PewDiePie has faced accusations of anti-Semitism and BTS' followers have been accused of being overly fanatical.
On January 11, PewDiePie uploaded a reaction video to footage about the notorious BTS fan Oli London. As the YouTube clips discussed how London had spent $150,000 on various plastic surgeries and clothes to look more like BTS member Jimin, PewDiePie recoiled in shock. He explained his confusion at both London's acknowledgement that Jimin's image was "manufactured" and his insistence on wanting to copy the vocalist anyways. While the YouTuber threatened to shoot any fan who underwent surgery to emulate him "in the face," he also wondered what the BTS fandom thought of Oli London "because they are the most insane people on the planet."
Although the statement might initially sound harsh, it doesn't seem to be made as a condemnation of BTS or its self-named "Army." After his initial outburst, PewDiePie quickly acknowledged that there are other, more rational fans out there, and even admitted to having "the K-pop bug" at one point. In fact, before he deleted his Twitter account, PewDiePie had previously only followed BTS on the platform. Fan reactions from across the communities on Twitter also seemed to acknowledge PewDiePie's concessions. Many users were relieved that the YouTuber did not "disrespect" Jimin and agreed that London had taken his obsession too far.
Compared to several past controversies, PewDiePie's criticism of Oli London is tame, and will likely be forgotten soon. After announcing a break from YouTube, PewDiePie has resumed his regular uploads. As he continues to put out new videos, his coverage of the BTS fandom will likely be overshadowed by the latest trends the YouTuber tackles next.