German radio network Bayern 3's presenter Mattias Matuschik has invoked the BTS Army's wrath worldwide. He did so after controversially referring to the famous boy band as a "s****y virus" akin to COVID-19.During his show, Matthias Matuschik went on air and called BTS a virus, like COVID. The host added that "hopefully there would be a vaccination against it soon."The Radio station is @bayern3 and the radio host is @MMatuschik.They are part of the "Bayrischer Rundfunk" which is a state funded News Organization. https://t.co/VkWzEsKh8Z— belle⁷ 🌿 (@mysevenwhaliens) February 25, 2021According to Ansoko's report, the presenter further derided BTS by calling them out for their song choices:tw // racismRACISM will be never be accepted as an opinion . this is so offensive, are u even thinking ? we need a proper apology, this isnʼt joke . this is pure disgustingsir, it's 2021 already . insulting them wont make u richAPOLOGIZE TO BTS@bayern3#Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/TTYgi7qceW— ً (@vante5991) February 26, 2021Speaking about BTS' recent performance on MTV Unplugged, Matthias Matuschik criticized them in a rather distasteful manner:"But BTS. And BTS, yes, they actually have an MTV Unplugged now - with a boy band, Unplugged! That alone is paradoxical! Yes? And then these... these little p***s brag about the fact that they covered Fix You from Coldplay, where I say: "This is blasphemy!" And that's what I say as an atheist! This is... this is sacrilege, for this you will... for this you will be vacationing in North Korea for the next 20 years!"From calling them "little p*****s" to accusing them of committing sacrilege, his controversial remarks instantly triggered a massive Twitter storm, with scores of BTS fans tearing into him.Apart from condemning racism, BTS armies globally took to Twitter to demand that he issue a proper apology.Bayern 3 under fire after Matthias Matuschik slammed for alleged racist remarks towards BTSracism is NOT tolerated. APOLOGIZE TO BTS#RassismusBeiBayern3#Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/IeAfM7wXeo— rianne⁷ ♡s tete 🎀💤 (@slaytaekook) February 26, 2021In the face of mounting online dissent, the company was forced to issue an apology soon after. They unsuccessfully tried to diffuse the heat by labeling it a matter of the host's "personal taste."According to Bayern 3's official statement, they claimed that he simply got carried away under the guise of "exaggerated excitement":“this is his personal opinion of taste” opinion? your opinion is trash! we need a sincere and proper apology and not a denial! RACISM IS NOT AN OPINION! APOLOGIZE TO BTS!#RassismusBeiBayern3#Bayern3Racist @bayern3 Wir sind gegen Rassismus!!우리는 인종 차별을 반대합니다!! pic.twitter.com/8G9950DXeT— ًac ⁷ daddeh (@vminggukx) February 26, 2021Claiming it was unintended, the organization harped that Matthias Matuschik was in no way attached to xenophobic ideals or racist beliefs.BTS fans responded by ripping into the apology, labeling it "trash" and "insincere."With dissent simmering online, scores of BTS fans took to Twitter to slam Bayern 3 and call out its presenter for fuelling an "epidemic of hatred" towards Asians in general:Matthias Matuschik wasn't edgy when he said he hates BTS & likened them to Covid. He knows there's an epidemic of hatred towards Asians, fueled by public figures like him. I sincerely hope his slander doesn't incite physical attacks.@bayern3 #Bayern3Racist#RassismusbeiBayern3 https://t.co/5KX4DsVXVs— Jae-Ha Kim 김재하 (@GoAwayWithJae) February 26, 2021Racism is not difference in opinion.A Racist verbally abusing poc is not a joke or irony.Him talking about sending them to North Korea is not exaggerated excitement. That man is racist and there should be consequences for his racists words.#RassismusBeiBayern3#Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/TOyVgfcjLu— 𝕊𝕦𝕤𝕒𝕟⁷ ⟭⟬ (@MAPOFTHESOUL27) February 26, 2021armys let's keep use this platform to spread awareness, the racism againts asians is keep growing , racism is not an opinion. racism shouldn't be tolerated, so this can't be ignored. APOLOGIZE TO BTS#Bayern3Racist #RassismusbeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/ZjxKAcU76e— MAYCEE ⁷ ⟭⟬ abyss 🐹🐱 (@seokjinmylabsss) February 26, 2021There’s a difference between speaking your personal opinion and blatantly speaking hatred and racism towards an artist and what you’ve said is clearly a hate speech directed to bts. RACISM IS NOT AN OPINIONAPOLOGIZE TO BTS#Bayern3Racist#RassismusBeiBayern3@bayern3 pic.twitter.com/zjB8Za0x89— ᴮᴱ cara⁷ (@tinysevenbts) February 26, 2021Racism is not an opinion. Everyone should respect Asians, they're human beings too! This is not just a fandom problem, it's a society problem.APOLOGIZE TO BTS#Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/NOv1LcvLEc— ✧•° ʸᵒⁿᵃ•°✧🇨🇴 (@Yona_07_bangtan) February 26, 2021there’s a huge difference between speaking your personal opinion and expressing your racism towards other people! there is no excuse to any form of racism! this is so disgusting!RACISM IS NOT AN OPINIONAPOLOGIZE TO BTS#RassismusBeiBayern3#Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/x0QlL3SZlB— ًac ⁷ daddeh (@vminggukx) February 26, 2021Thousands of Asian immigrants are being harassed and threatened everyday and your ignorant + insensitive employee chooses to make fun of Koreans who literally just sang a song. Is hiring racist xenophobes the norm there? @bayern3 fire that mf AND apologize to bts #Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/gJhMWxSy6O— みや Hobiuary ⁷ (@samoyedjoonie) February 26, 2021I'm not an ARMY but better keep your mouth shut if you don't have anything good to say. You're just hurting others' feelings.RACISM IS NOT AN OPINION AND IT SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED !APOLOGIZE TO BTS !!!!!!!Please.This is not a joke.#RassismusBeiBayern3 #Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/X2jFIs2g8d— mar ga ret 🔗 (semi inactive) (@trust__thyself) February 26, 2021this is disgusting. there is a BIG difference between saying your opinion and blatantly being racist towards a group who did not even do such a thing to you ?? where are your manners ?? APOLOGIZE TO BTS ! #Bayern3Racist #RassismusBeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/CjoPPlqulJ— yana⁷ in uni (@btslomI) February 26, 2021No excuse to any form of racism! this is so disgusting!RACISM IS NOT AN OPINIONAPOLOGIZE TO BTS#RassismusBeiBayern3#Bayern3Racist pic.twitter.com/Lu39ISF0yp pic.twitter.com/92o895VSW1— UnPerfectlySoul94 (@UnSoul94) February 26, 2021Don’t make excuses for Matthias Matuschik @bayern3, what he said wasn’t just a music opinion, it was racist, xenophobic and just extremely gross. Hold him accountable. It’s not something to be taken lightly or as a joke. #Bayern3Racist#RassismusbeiBayern3— fatima🌻 (@fatimafarha_) February 25, 2021.@bayern3 is one of @BR_Presse’s entities and these are the broadcasting laws they have to abide by. They should not be allowed to excuse anti-Asian, racist comments made by Matthias Matuschik. Racism is not an opinion. #Bayern3Apologize#Bayern3Racist #RassismusbeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/iG1GVt7och— bora 🐢 (@modooborahae) February 26, 2021i wish i didn’t have to spend such a big part of my piece about becoming a bts fan in 2019 on racism, but this is the world we live in. if it’s not matthias matuschik comparing them to covid it’s something else. pic.twitter.com/H5PPXgEGGv— lenika (@lenikacruz) February 26, 2021That radio host really said the most vile things and then continued to excuse his racism by saying he's not racist because he owns a Korean car and it's his opinion. I hope @bayern3 is going to hold him accountable! Racism is not an opinion!#Bayern3Racist #RassismusbeiBayern3— BTS On Spotify💜 (@Bts_OnSpotify) February 26, 2021The not-an-apology statement was basically:“ARMY can’t take a joke.” This wasn’t a joke. it was racist & wrong. this is truly disgusting.RACISM IS NOT AN OPINION. RACISM SHALL NEVER BE TOLERATED. Apologize to BTS.@bayern3 #Bayern3Racist #RassismusbeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/RZCJwnOjK8— Realcindy_Hyper12⁷ (@realcindyhyper) February 26, 2021What a crap “apology”. This isn’t about “overshot his choice of words” “hurt the feelings of BTS fans”. Our feelings are not the issue here. Ugh just call it out for the racist xenophobia that it is or do nothing. #Bayern3Racist#RassismusBeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/WsqSjTuRu2— JoonsThrownPhone⁷ (@brrbr_ddaeng) February 26, 2021the radio host gave the most insincere “””apology””” after attacking bts and literally compared a korean group to a virus like covid-19. this is pure bullshit, this is not an apology, and it wasn’t an opinion it was pure racism #Bayern3Racist #RassismusbeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/NeqyvpF4B1— telep(athy)⁷ (@jeonlvr) February 26, 2021disliking the boys is your own personal opinion but RACISM is not an opinion. shame on you for thinking what you said is okay, apologize to the boys and the asian community for the vile things you said. #Bayern3Racist #Bayern3Apologize #RassismussBeiBayern3 pic.twitter.com/kuHNIv4TY7— hopekook archive (@hopekookhr) February 26, 2021Columbia Records has also issued a statement of solidarity, shunning the practice of racism and xenophobia in any form:pic.twitter.com/dIgfXZvwCL— Columbia Records (@ColumbiaRecords) February 26, 2021Exhibiting personal preferences about a particular artist or group is often regarded as a fundamental part of one's freedom of expression.However, the practice of spewing unwarranted hate in the form of distasteful, racist remarks is what has irked the BTS Army and the online community.From the reactions above, it is evident that the situation no longer pertains to any particular fandom. Rather, it has evolved into a fight against racism and xenophobia, which seems to be a result of societal failings at large.With dissent continuing to mount online, it seems like Matthias Matuschik may have just signed the warrant for his "cancellation" by going after one of the biggest and most revolutionary boy bands in the world.