FirstOne Entertainment's pre-debut group NINE.i under fire for insensitive usage of historical imagery

Weeks before their debut, FirstOne Entertainment's newest boy group NINE.i already find themselves in trouble. The group and the company are under fire for their insensitive usage of historical events.

The 10-member K-Pop group is set to make its debut on March 30. However, the run-up to the big day has been full of stumbles for the pre-debut group.

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NINE.i's teaser clips come under fire

Ahead of their impending debut, NINE.i is releasing a series of teasers for their first single. On March 9, the group shared a video on their YouTube channel titled PROLOGUE FILM [THE BIRTH OF NEW ALGORITHM]. The five-minute clip is intended to give fans a glimpse of what the group's concept will be.

While the intentions seem innocuous, the video has been on the receiving end of numerous negative comments from K-pop fans worldwide. This is due to the graphic imagery.

In the clip, NINE.i uses images and clips related to several significant historical events, including black oppression, the Holocaust, and the American Civil War.

Among the many snippets used are clips of rallies from America's civil rights movement from the 1950s and 1960s. The YouTube video also contains several disturbing scenes from concentration camps in Nazi Germany.

It did not take long for the opposition to mount against the clip and FirstOne Entertainment. Apart from criticizing them on Twitter and Instagram, netizens displayed their disapproval of the video on TikTok, with one having been viewed over 630,000 times.

One of the chief points of concern was the evident lack of understanding of the historical and cultural trauma associated with the clips. Several netizens were shocked how the video was passed by the agency and the group without any changes.

Reactions to the video (Image via NINE.i OFFICIAL/YouTube)

Reactions to the video (Image via NINE.i OFFICIAL/YouTube)

Reactions to the video (Image via NINE.i OFFICIAL/YouTube)

Reactions to the video (Image via NINE.i OFFICIAL/YouTube)

The usage of trauma as an aesthetic device has also been called out.

Shortly after the aggressive rejection, FirstOne Entertainment released another version of the video, with the questionable bits exorcized.

NINE.i's agency also issued a formal apology in both Korean and English, stating:

"We are truly aware that we did not engage with more consideration in making the video."

Here is the full apology:

Meanwhile, the ten group members continue to gear up for their debut. Their name is a play on the phrase "EVERYDAY NEW i."