Create

Fans furiously trend "GQ apologize to TXT" as it compares them to BTS, calls Huening Kai a racial slur, and more

GQ Magazine lands in trouble over multiple issues in their interview with TXT (Image via Twitter/GQMagazine)
GQ Magazine lands in trouble over multiple issues in their interview with TXT (Image via Twitter/GQMagazine)

GQ Magazine landed in hot waters after it published a lengthy interview with TXT, aka TOMORROW X TOGETHER on March 15, 2023.

The writer of the interview and the magazine faced extreme criticism from the group's fandom over several issues. Although now edited, the article used a racial slur to describe Huening Kai, misunderstood Taehyun's words and called a "Chinese music video" his inspiration, compared the group to BTS, and wrote many other things that did not sit right with the fandom.

As fans continued to spread their mistakes online with various hashtags and Twitter trends like "GQ apologize to TXT," they demanded that the magazine and the writer issue an apology to the group for the "poorly-written" article.

What kind of article is this? It's highly disrespectful, poorly written and needs to be retracted. TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali twitter.com/CYJ99ARCHIVES/…

GQ Magazine faces the ire of TXT’s fandom over multiple mistakes in the latest interview

TXT recently had a photoshoot and interview with GQ Magazine. While the artists gave off a mature vibe in their pictorials, the written article provided little information about the artists to the fans. As a result, the group’s fandom, MOA, instantly began criticizing the author and the magazine over several issues.

.@TXT_members are all roughly in their early twenties but they’ve been training for this moment their whole lives gq.mn/26SuNGb #TOMORROW_X_TOGETHER https://t.co/cBUNQZ0GLU

Several netizens pointed out that the article talked more about BTS, TXT’s labelmates and seniors, than the group itself. They even called out the Twitter caption for saying that the group’s agency “wants them to be the next BTS.”

What? I never heard agency talk about this. YOU KNOW MOAs NEVER PUSH THEM LIKE THAT and FYI OUR BOYS REALLY RESPECT BTS, HOW DARE YOU SAID THAT.NOW APOLOGIZE‼️‼️‼️‼️TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali https://t.co/qoEzN6R45R

Fans who took screenshots of the first draft of the published article also pointed out that the magazine did not conduct due diligence in terms of research. This came across particularly when, instead of writing about “SHINee’s music video” being an inspiration to Taehyun, the article simply referred to it as “this Chinese music video.”

there are a lot of things wrong with the wording of this interview in general but just skimming through it, i think taehyun meant “it was shinee’s music video, i got chills watching it!” since he recently spoke about how ‘replay’ (2008) was such a sensational moment for him. https://t.co/igtJhmFKH6

The descriptions used also did not sit right with TXT fans. The interview had phrases such as “wearing an adult diaper,” “Soobin (the tall and s*xy one),” "dark art of activating fandoms," among others. Fans also took note of Huening Kai’s description, which included a racial slur.

The descriptions; a term to describe a member and then not spelling his name; the questions that showed clear lack of research; the attitude towards the translator: all disrespectful. TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomal https://t.co/5uIAeT344C
They called Kai with a degoratory term. What went through your mind to publish that???? Also the whole article was just so unprofessional. Apologize. #GQ_apologize_to_TXT https://t.co/q08VazJC7m
breakdown of the article- the wording of the article; saying soobin performed in a gang, calling shinee replay chinese music- asking weird questions such as who works the hardest in the group- suddenly brining up plastic surgery- spells hueningkais name wrong https://t.co/nRAzc3D1Yd

Additionally, at a few intervals in the article, the writer mentioned the struggles of taking the interview through a real-time translator. Fans called this out too, saying that it made the translator look bad.

While they agreed that there might have been some miscommunication, they were furious over the lack of research the writer apparently did about the Sugar Rush Ride singers.

SRSLY STOP BLAMING THE TRANSLATOR. THEY (GQ MAG) COULD HAVE RESEARCHED, FORMULATED QUESTIONS, MADE SURVEYS FROM ACTUAL FANS? AND THEN. WRITE THEIR EDITORIAL.TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali
the entire article and interview is a disaster. they focused on and talked about pointless things, were horrible to txt, their staff and the translator. the entire article was so poorly written it shows that little thought or care went into what they were writing (they +

Soon after the outrage, the article was updated and the problematic parts were tweaked. However, fans continued to demand an apology from the magazine and the author as they wanted them to acknowledge their mistakes.

i just woke up and that article felt like reading a nightmare. the lack of research, blatant disrespect, weird descriptions and just straight up poor writing. no need to revise, just delete the goddamn thing and apologize to TXT
take responsibility for all the disrespect you did to TXT. being such a famous magazine, the least you should do is take an interest in the artists and treat them with respect and changing that word for multiracial is still weirdTXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT https://t.co/Amqn0YO1YU
What kind of caption is THAT???Huening Kai the WHAT???GQ, do better 🤦🏻‍♀️TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali https://t.co/gWIZAKSSdl
GQ just stop posting anything and apologize instead 🙄TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine @chrisgayomali https://t.co/I4tZuNu1lW
GQ APOLOGIZE FOR- Anti-Asian Racism- Xenophobia - Sexualization - Defamation - Misinformation- False Accusation- Manipulation- Inappropriate Language TXT IS TXT #GQ_RESPECT_TXT#GQ_apologize_to_TXT @GQMagazine@chrisgayomali @HYBEOFFICIALtwt @BIGHIT_MUSIC twitter.com/TearSputnik/st…

GQ Magazine is yet to officially comment on the issue.


Recent updates on TXT

The five-member boy group’s latest release, The Name Chapter: Temptation, made them the second-fastest artist to hit the two-million sales mark in Hanteo’s history. With their first-week sales record of 1,248,370 copies, they also became the second-highest first–week sales holder, as per Hanteo’s charts.

The title track of the album, Sugar Rush Ride, also became the group’s fastest music video to hit 100 million views. As per Soompi, it achieved this feat in 37 days and 23 hours.

Quick Links

Edited by Upasya Bhowal
Be the first one to comment