RM: I respect every belief and religion. — The Straits Times/ANN
BTS’ rapper and leader RM addressed the issue of Islamophobia building up around him, denying any intention to insult the religion and stating he has no reasons to apologise.
The controversy was sparked in August, when RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, shared American singer Frank Ocean’s Bad Religion on his Instagram story.
The 2012 song talks about loving without the restraint of religion, but some parts were interpreted by listeners as being Islamophobic.
Online anger mounted over the next days, with many taking to his social media to condemn his action as religiously insulting and demanding for an apology to Muslims.
RM, in realising the situation will not cool by itself, broke his silence on Wednesday.
“You keep telling that I insulted a religion, but I didn’t. There was no intention or purpose to insult a religion.
“I respect every belief and religion. That’s all I could say,” RM said during a Weverse live broadcast on Thursday.
RM again confronted the situation and spoke up for himself.
“I understand what’s going (on in) my Instagram. I can see. But there was no such purpose or even at least 1% of intention in my heart to insult a religion,” he added, shaking his head and rolling his eyes in apparent frustration.
RM clarified he was not apologising and asked for respect from the people attacking him unreasonably. — The Korea Herald/ANN
