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BTS members RM and J-hope sparked intense backlash from fans last week after they shared videos of themselves enjoying a Chris Brown concert.
Mirroring the fans' disappointment, The Pixel Project has now announced that the leader of the globally famous K-pop group will be indefinitely suspended from its list of "16 Male Role Models Helping to Stop Violence Against Women".
The nonprofit organisation, which honoured RM in 2024 for addressing misogyny and promoting women in arts, also plans to revise a 2025 Father's Day piece featuring him, which highlighted the importance of imperfect male role models.
Why the Pixel Project suspended RM?
Providing reasons for the removal, the Pixel Project clearly stated RM's appearance at the Toronto show of Chris Brown, with his member J-hope, where they also posed for snaps with the singer who has domestic violence convictions.
In the latest blog, published on August 19, Pixel Project noted, "This has sparked a major public outcry online as a large number of ARMYs (BTS fans) expressed their disappointment in RM and J-Hope for associating with Brown who is notorious for his violence against women, including domestic violence, assault, and rape."
"Brown is currently out on bail with a UK court trial pending in October 2026 for his latest assault charges."
'Deafening' silence from RM side after Chris Brown controversy
The project shared that before making any decision, they were awaiting a response from the group or RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, to address the reaction or his decision to attend the concert, adding, "It has been a week of silence on RM’s part and that silence is deafening."
"We have never expected any male role model (including RM) to be perfect. Everyone is human after all. But being a decent human being also means being accountable when your choices hurt other people."
About The Pixel Project
The Pixel Project is a virtual, volunteer-led global nonprofit organisation whose mission is to raise awareness, funds, and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women through campaigns, initiatives, projects, and programmes at the intersection of social media, new technologies, and popular culture/the Arts.
