Mets pairing K-pop artist Jeon Somi and Kodai Senga before first pitch sees backlash due to diverse ethnicity: "They don’t speak the same language"

With the exception of Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga was the most hyped offseason acquisition by the New York Mets last offseason. The right-handed starter was named to three All-Star teams and led the league in strikeouts twice during his decade playing in Japan's NPB.

Senga's five-year, $75 million deal with the Mets was finalized in December. While some thought that the 30-year-old might struggle to adapt to the MLB's style of play, that does not appear to be the case.

In 26 starts this year, Senga owns a 3.07 ERA, alongside 181 strikeouts in 149 innings of work to commend his 10-7 record.

Ahead of the Mets' game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 13, Korean-Canadian K-Pop star Jeon Somi was invited to throw out the first pitch.

Before her delivery, the 22-year-old was spotted alongside Kodai Senga on the sidelines. While the interaction seemed innocuous, fans seem to have read into it a bit too much.

Several comments poured in under the New York Mets' Instagram post. Apparently, several fans believed that Senga's Japanese identity was at odds with Somi's Korean one. Comments ranged from bizarre to borderline ignorant.

The entirety of the Korean Peninsula was under Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945. While several widely known atrocities were committed by the colonial administration, the Japanese State refuses to acknowledge most of them to this day. Although both East Asian nations are US-backed allies, their troubled past has led to some drama over the years.

Currently, 67 Japanese players play in the MLB, including Kodai Senga and Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani. Meanwhile, 26 South Koreans have taken to the field. The rivalry between the two nations was on full display during March's World Baseball Classic, which saw Japan emerge victorious.

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Kodai Senga and Jeon Somi have every right to appear together

While it may be true that Japan and South Korea have a rather complicated relationship, that has no bearing on the meeting that took place in New York. Somi was born in Canada to a Korean mother and a Canadian father, meaning that her own identity is a mixed one.

For Kodai Senga, focusing on performing his best during his team's disastrous season should be a bigger priority. While some of the comments were good for a laugh, they cannot be seriously argued that this meeting was anything but a positive showcase of two titans of their respective fields.