BtoB’s Lee Min-hyuk sparked controversy on March 10th with comments regarding the birth rate. The issue began when messages exchanged between Lee Min-hyuk and his fans on an online community and X (formerly Twitter) surfaced online. The day before, Lee Min-hyuk shared about attending a friend’s wedding and made remarks like “There are really many weddings lately,” “Everyone’s getting married,” and “Friends, please contribute to the birth rate.”
He further mentioned, “I have a close group of friends since elementary school, and 6 out of 8 of us are already married,” adding, “One of them already has three children. He’s a great patriot.” While Lee Min-hyuk intended for these comments to be part of a lighthearted conversation about his daily life, his mention of the birth rate was interpreted by some netizens as a lecture directed towards his fans, causing discomfort.
These netizens criticized Lee Min-hyuk’s remarks, accusing him of being “too rude to his fans,” “Why is he lecturing his fans?” and “He was reckless.” Some even commented, “This is the first time I’ve seen an idol worrying about the birth rate.”
In defense of Lee Min-hyuk, fans argued that his comments on the birth rate were not directed at them but towards his friends. They downplayed the criticism and misunderstanding, stating, “Why are you being so sensitive about what he said to his friends?” and “It’s unfair because it was just a casual conversation.”
The situation escalated further as Lee Min-hyuk’s past remarks and the behavior of other BtoB members were brought up again, causing a rift within the fandom. This has heightened the concerns of the fans.
Since last month, BtoB has been actively communicating with their fans through the fandom platform Fromm operated by Wonderwall. Wonderwall is not only organizing the concert but also producing official concert merchandise. They will have a booth on site specifically for Fromm message subscribers and have revealed plans for various events, further amping up the excitement for fans.
BtoB to Hold Fan Concert “Our Dream”
Meanwhile, BtoB will be holding their fan concert titled “Our Dream” at the SK Olympic Handball Stadium in Seoul from March 22nd to 24th. The concert aims to commemorate the special moments BtoB has shared with their fans, Melody, and to dream together for the future. BtoB promises an unforgettable experience for their fans.
