BTS have announced their latest brand collaboration, teaming up with McDonald’s to launch a new Happy Meal.
The news, revealed on McDonald’s Instagram, teased collectible mini BTS TinyTAN figures and carried the caption, “I feel like I personally manifested this, wbu??”
For many fans, the promotion recalls the group’s 2021 partnership with the fast food chain, when “The BTS Meal” featuring McNuggets, fries, a drink, and exclusive sauces became a global success.
This time, however, the response has been markedly different as the collaboration arrives at a time of heightened political awareness among fans.
Many pointed to the ongoing Israeli genocide of Palestinians and criticised the group for their association with a brand that is a target of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and reportedly conducts operations in Israel.
For some, the controversy reflects fatigue with repetitive celebrity endorsements while others expressed frustration at the lack of social responsibility they expected from BTS.
The backlash follows criticism of Kim Taehyung’s recent ambassadorship with Coca-Cola Zero in South Korea, another deal that drew negative reactions over the company’s alleged political ties.
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