BTS K-Drama “YOUTH” Has Stopped Filming To Address Fans’ Concerns

YOUTH, a BTS-inspired K-Drama, has temporarily stopped filming in order to make changes.

The story, based on the BTS Universe, will follow a group of seven boys (BTS’s fictional selves) as they overcome adversity and experience personal growth while growing up together.

| Big Hit Entertainment/Facebook

Hankook Ilbo reports that filming for YOUTH stopped filming in late October and will not resume until January 2021. Co-producers Chorokbaem Media and Big Hit Entertainment decided to halt production to address fans’ concerns about the characters’ names.

Jeon Jin Seo will play the role of Jungkook.

Jungkook | @bts_bighit/Twitter

In October, fans expressed concern after finding out the characters would be using the members’ birth names. Since BTS’s fictional selves go through tragic, dark, and abusive situations, some fans worried these imagined events might affect BTS’s real lives.

The new BTS drama, which contains sensitive and problematic subjects, will use BTS' real names. We urge @BigHitEnt to change them to fictitious, as it may cause misunderstanding with the public that are not familiar with the nature of the content and issues with the boys' images

— Golden Time 𝄞 (naaadmdᴶᴷ) (@goldentimejjk) October 19, 2020

ARMYs reached out to Big Hit Entertainment, urging the agency to reconsider.

#세계관드라마_본명_철회해
I don't think using the real names of the members in a drama that is available to third parties, not just fans, cannot expect positive results not only from the current members but also from the fandom.
Please review the drama.@BigHitEnt@bts_bighit

— Giuli 🙂 D-2 Eight SOTY (@Guiuli_22) October 19, 2020

Big Hit Entertainment is taking fans’ feedback seriously. It was decided that filming for the highly anticipated show would not resume until a decision had been reached. Filming was expected to resume in November, but it has now been postponed until January.

Find out more about YOUTH and its cast here: