Bushi

They will, because that's all it is to them - business. It's not always good if you're a fan of human rights, but it also gains these countries huge trade deals and ongoing political links. It may not mean a jot to people in here but Jungkook and the rest of BTS...oh lord I've said this for forever - they are clearly nice people, but this is also huge megabucks. And one that got wrapped up at a SK government level many years ago. Every time these boys go to the US for example they do 'Korean' things no matter where they are. They receive govt-sanctioned awards and are always shilling Korean brands; chairs, cars, tech, cider, you name it. They've become walking adverts. They, and fans, all know they're working for their govt as well as working for BTS. But I'm also conscious that Jungkook doesn't make the rules. He's a small cog in a very big wheel. While many Western people will rain down condemnation on him, many Asian people will say 'what's the fuss?', 'he is represeting our country'. It's his/HYBE's call, based on his parameters, which may or may not be all his own by free choice. And yes, people are right, apart from a few nebulous overtures he's never spoken out about gay rights. Should he though? Maybe fans should lower their expectations imo. If people don't agree with Qatar, do what I'm gonna do. Just don't watch. Stand by your principles and don't fall soft and squeak the box on because you just have to see Jungkook perform. Take up knitting. Dye your hair blue. Learn Norwegian, anything.

Some gay men have 'gay voice', some have a twinge and others don't have it at all. Life in all it's varied glory. Seems like a good thing to me.

I really hope Jungkook doesn't become the poster boy for peoples moral outrage with the Qatar authorities or politicians. But I fear it'll happen given the way things quickly spin off into finger wagging at completely the wrong people over most things these days. Sigh.

The only useless contribution I can make to the above argument is that (ironically) I can actually see Future Taehyung ending up in Britain, splitting his time between the Burberry outlets of the South East, and living in Cornwall. On whose mystical hills he will pad all year round barefoot or in flappy sandals with the dog, his painting easel and a straw boater, the torture of K-pop a distant memory.

Gurl, try being one of us long-sufferings gently trying to tell people on this thread that that light-up Bi flag in 'Daydream' was in fact, a Bi flag, and not 1. a dept hiccup 2. bought by a staffer who didn't know what they were looking at 3. a knitted teacosy 4. a mirage. Honestly, I'm still fighting against the tide here.

Whilst I respect the 'it's a Korean thing' I also think it's somewhat unwise to lump every idol under that banner and assume they all always act to the letter of their society's parameters or whims. Of course same sex idols fall in love, mess about, and date in and out of their groups. We're having the wool pulled if we assume it to be impossible. People who like each other find a way. It's not going to be in massive numbers but it will happen now and then. There's never the same reluctance to throw heterosexual idols together (cough!), on little to no evidence. Or (splutter!) fake evidence.

Ye gads, I wish you'd read what I put and not rushed to grind out your version of me. But thanks for the psycho analysis from your chair. It was... err, helpful? If was like, a twelve year old superfan, you might get away with all that. But you're talking to someone who you don't know, their background, their career, their training, nothing. Am I JUST allowed an alternative opinion to yours and your merry band of hanger ons? My shoulders are broad enough to take these sorts of 'you jelly?' statements (though Tae is not my bag, or bias) but I could ask you why you are so deeply invested in these pictures being a beacon of truth. If you want to die on the hill of garumbiharibo or whatever they call themselves, please do. As I have said, I have neutrality about idols dating who they want because it's their lives, not mine. That is a separate issue from just believing everything you see pouring off of Twitter. Perhaps you'd care to brush up on defining the two concepts rather than lumping them together.

If there's anything 'going on' between them it's not via these 'leaked' pictures. Folks are being led up the garden path imo. His head is badly grafted on in some of them and they've chopshopped parts of legit pictures and supplanted and superimposed them. It's clever but they've made mistakes. I'm not against Tae being any sexuality, dating anyone he likes, and if Jennie is currently that person, then that's lovely. But these pics are a joke. There are numerous debunks all over the place but I can see with my own eyes that proportionally they're off somehow. Someone is going to great lengths to seek clout imo.

Oh lord, we need queer Taehyung back ASAP. I'll even accept Boghyung or God forbid, I must be out of my mind, the moronic Taekook concept if it means the thread decouples from all the heterotopians fretting about 2 opp-sex idols who probably aren't even together. And if they are, those photos are still edits. Keep Jennie and TaeTae on the het threads, please.

And I thought that Taeyong's creepy comics were the limit. Now we have 'homophobe' Jennie pinning Taehyung down and nobbing him with a strap on every night. On a lighter note, the latest 'couples' photo of the pair of them is duff as well. Someone has omitted to edit out the reflections in the mirror behind him of another lift user/s bare skin and a bluish top. Whether they are an item or not, which I'm not here to dispute, (because who knows right?) these edits are not the tea imo.

Duplicate post. But just to add, if you want to buy this fine. You seem a bit pressed that others don't see much in it but a tbh, pretty poor looking edit. Unless you made it yourself, so what? Tons of these things hit the Internet every day.

No it's not satire. It's called having been around the block a few times and seeing a poor edit when it pops up. Her stance is overly theatrical and exactly the stance of her public persona for fans and her job. Not the stance of someone in a private setting whilst being photoed by someone else (!) taking a picture of them taking pictures of themselves. The setting and context makes no sense for 2 human beings conducting an under the radar relationship whilst allowing themselves to be photographed posing as if onstage, in a private property. Context is everything.

They're not even in proportion to each other. Some sasaeng spent two weeks microediting this thing only to fall at the first hurdle - that being that 'so in love' are looking anywhere but each other. In a private setting yet in front of a 'camera'. Whether they're dating or not, and I suspect the latter, this pic ain't it.

Bless them, they deserve all the lovely things in life. Especially after the recent crap Holland went through. It's good to know he's happy.

And also someone's finally gone and done what we've all been dying to do for years, actually call him Sugar.

Spoilered as not LGBT specific.

Thank goodness someone round here is, at long last.

Tip: Read the sign on the door before entering. Think, 'I'll go take my hetspam onto a thread that will appreciate it.' Do that.

I'm not a Charlie fan, he does what he does to put food on the table. But many K-pop fans live in this sort of perma-bubble of assuming their greatest enemy is the West, at all turns, and western artists are the only ones out for clout. And poor little sweet cherubs in BTS are mere bait. Like BTS or EXO don't know how to play the room. BTS have literally been plundering your piggybanks for nearly a decade now. Wise up, lol. How many versions of the same single or album does Charlie put out compared to BTS/HYBE? Or how much plastic, unnecessary polluting merchandise does he force on his fans to make even extra cash? And how many times do BTS step in and rebuke their own fans for the bullying pile-ons ARMY do to artists, non-entertainment people, women and anyone who doesn't know who they are? I love BTS but they're not saints, they're businessmen, and they also know exactly how to feather their own nests, via western or non-western artists. Jungkook, etc, will do what is needed to stay ahead. If people saw him as an equal to Charlie they'd know he is as capable of using Charlie as much as Charlie is of using him. But they seem like genuine friends to me, and flirty and comfortable to boot, which I think is what a lot of the hate is really about. Woe betide Jungkook has interest in/from any male not dictated as 'the one' by his own fandom.

I mean... None of us know him personally. He could be anything. You and I would be the last to know.

Prayer circle for Bojem. Taxi to court for the rest of us.

Uh oh, Taehyung lad, you gone done it now. Upsetting ARMIES. Oh noo.

If you believe the possibility that Bogum's closeted, and let's see, guy rumours, check, fiercely private, check, got most upset out of the blocks re: the affair with someone's wife rumour, check, has had interesting and deep friendships with males, including Taehyung, check, no obvious girlfriend on the scene for years(?), hasn't said or done anything that would stand him out individually as a 'phobe, and isn't a daily drama lama, afaik. Supposing he's in a network of closeted men who band together and look out for each other? Or maybe Taehyung's loyalty to him stems from a desire to protect his friends who might be vulnerable themselves? It's speculative of course, but also quite likely. People have to understand the deep and lifelong damage stepping out of line can do to people in SK. It is not this wondrous, charming, K-pop world of harmony and fun. It's deeply conservative, religious, biased, often racist, sexist, homophobic and berates itself every five minutes for either not producing an heir or for getting a dance routine wrong. Yes, K-pop has chilled out a bit, but westerners have to respect those perceived negatives above because that's someone else's country, their culture, which they define by democratic vote. We shouldn't pretend that life is a cakewalk for potential or more 'confirmed' closeted SK men with contracts, careers and fans. And whose images are finely built upon them being eternally available for women. You will 100% get groups of guys who will club together in an underground kinda way for lifelong moral support. Bogum and Taehyung may or may not be in that situation. But it wouldn't surprise me if they might be. But what do I know? All these guys might end up happily married to women and have kids. Though I doubt it's that simple for some names we all know and/or love. Even an idol or actor leaving South Korea to live a freer life somewhere isn't the entire answer because they are all brought up to be wildly patriotic and with a desire to promote SK abroad. So going back after leaving could feel like dodging your cultural references and responsibilities. And if you're LGBT I'd imagine the pressure and scrutiny is a hundredfold. You can have a nice life in SK, as long as you can afford, and/or conform to societal expectations. Outside of that it's well documented that many struggle and for varying reasons. I don't expect people like BTS or Bogum to be any 'freer' than they were when they started tbh. Richer yes, but necessarily doing/being exactly who/what/where they want to be? Nah. Taehyung's long FESTA face and statement was a dead giveaway.

Oh lord.