Seoul - Popular South Korean band BTS
donated R16.7 million to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in support of
U.S. protests against police brutality, its music label, Big Hit
Entertainment, told Reuters on Sunday.
On Thursday, the seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter
account that they are against racism and violence with the
hashtag BlackLivesMatter:
"We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn
violence. You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We
will stand together."
The hashtag went viral among the K-pop group's fans and
started another wave of donations with a new hashtag,
MatchAMillion.
The movement encouraged BTS' fan base, known as ARMY, an
acronym for Adorable Representative MC for Youth, to match the
$1 million donation the group made.
One Twitter account said, "ARMYs, let's #MatchAMillion with
BTS's donation to #BlackLivesMatter!"
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackLivesMatter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlackLivesMatter+100K from the last update.
Let’s continue and #MatchAMillion with @BTS_twt💜. https://t.co/ZUVfs0m2pI
— BTS On The Charts⁷ (@btsotc)
I've never listened to BTS a day in my life but for that one million donated I'm finna go head and bump every song they've ever made like a preteen.
— Andre Fooks (@OmG_Itz_Ace) June 6, 2020
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/MatchAMillion?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MatchAMillion #BlackLivesMatter @BTS_twt https://t.co/Mxsce16ucS
— Lady Lazarus⁷ ⟭⟬ ∞ ⟬⟭ (@Vee_ot7)
The boyband suspended their world tour over coronavirus
concerns in April.
The rolling, global protests reflect rising anger over
police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25
killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a white officer
detaining him knelt on his neck.