K-pop fans protest against coal plant to protect beach made famous by BTS

Having BTS fans on board the anti-coal drive has helped campaigners as the fans are highly organised. - AP

SEOUL (Bloomberg): As heavy rains pummelled South Korea last month, K-pop fans braved stormy conditions to stage a protest on an east coast beach that's become synonymous with the genre and is now a flashpoint for concerns over the environmental impact of the country’s unwavering coal addiction.

The long stretch of soft, silver sand at Maengbang was the site of a famous photo shoot for the sleeve of BTS’s 2021 hit song Butter and is now a pilgrimage site for the band's devotees.