Apple TV released its eight-part cross-cultural competition series KPOPPED on August 29, 2025. The show brings together K-pop acts and international artists to reimagine their iconic Western tracks, blending styles across genres. In episode 5, ATEEZ split into two units to perform with Kylie Minogue and J Balvin. Jongho, Yunho, Wooyoung, and Seonghwa partnered with Minogue for her hit Can’t Get You Out of My Head. Meanwhile, Yeosang, San, Hongjoong, and Mingi joined Balvin for Mi Gente. Both performances took place before a live audience, with the Mi Gente team declared the winner of the face-off. Despite their victory and widespread praise online, the collaboration faced criticism after it aired. Following the episode's release, fans took to social media to express frustration over J Balvin's behavior during his collaboration with ATEEZ. Many accused the artist of being dismissive and uncooperative toward the group during rehearsals and preparation for the performance. They criticized what they perceived as a lack of effort compared to the dedication shown by the ATEEZ members. One fan commented,𝐋𝐞𝐚 @PatchouliPixelLINKHe was very disrespectful and dismissive on this kpopped show imo. He didn’t even try to learn the dance bro. Ateez deserved better. Like honestly should have been Bad Bunny.On social media, fans shared their observations and frustrations. Many posts highlighted moments that viewers felt reflected an imbalance in professionalism and respect. Several fans also stressed that the group’s hard work deserved to be met with the same level of commitment from their collaborators.daya ☁︎ @joongstudiosLINK@247asimp jbalvin is a colombian artist and he’s known to be problematic and he was being weird and rude in his kpopped episode with ateeznana🧃🎭 @mxdumbbLINKwhen i tell u i don’t like this man at all and i’ve been saying i don’t want him near the teezers…hope they collab with another latino artist and not him, pls stop hyping him up nadie quiere a este racista misógino bobo hpta⁷Moon⁵✰.IS SEEING TXT 09/25 @yoongurtmoonLINKMan I knew he was gonna do this to my ateez like...do the attitude and getting on your phone when the team is TRYING TO WORK TOGETHERThe backlash against J Balvin intensified after viewers highlighted certain moments from the episode. Some fans pointed out that Balvin repeatedly mispronounced the group’s name as “uh-teez,” despite having interacted with them before. This reaction was especially strong because it was not his first time engaging with the group. In 2024, he was seen watching ATEEZ’s Coachella performance. He also later shared a picture with the members on Instagram while following the group’s account. Many fans, therefore, expected a positive dynamic on KPOPPED, but they were left disappointed.K A T H 🥀 @kathcastillo_LINK@alduloveslouis HJ was very attentive and affectionate with him and he was with his shitty attitude 🫩friday 🌱 @jjongftwLINKjbalvin calling them uh-teezc a t ⭐️🐦‍🔥⭐️ @maomeowmiauLINKi would get it if this was the first time they interacted because that's how we pronounce 'a' in spanish, but it wasn't, and i'm sure he heard it many times :/ like bro why are u refusing to say it correctly 😭Apple TV's KPOPPED unites K-pop groups and Western pop icons for 8-episode music showdownApple TV introduced a new competition series titled KPOPPED on August 29, a project that brings together global talent from both the K-pop industry and the Western pop scene in a bold musical experiment. The series is designed around the idea of reinventing popular songs from different eras and genres. It transforms these songs through K-pop’s signature performance style, choreography, stage design, and added Korean lyrics. Spanning eight episodes, each episode highlights one K-pop group each week, who are paired with two Western pop artists. The group is divided into two sub-units, with each tackling one of the Western artists’ classic hits. These songs are reimagined with new musical arrangements and performance concepts, resulting in unexpected collaborations that blend two distinct musical cultures. ATEEZ performing in "KPOPPED" episode 5 (Image via Apple TV+)Every performance takes place before a live audience in Seoul, who vote to decide which collaboration wins each episode. After the votes are tallied and the winner is declared, the featured K-pop group concludes the show with a finale stage of their own. Throughout the season, KPOPPED delivers fresh renditions of iconic songs such as Savage, Wannabe, Ice Ice Baby, Lady Marmalade, Can’t Get You Out of My Head, Motownphilly, and Waterfalls. These reinterpretations breathe new life into the songs through cross-cultural exchanges. The lineup features a diverse range of talent. On the K-pop side, groups like Billlie, ITZY, Kep1er, JO1, ATEEZ, STAYC, KISS OF LIFE, and BLACKSWAN appear across different episodes. From the Western music scene, participants range from legendary icons to contemporary stars, including Megan Thee Stallion, Patti LaBelle, Spice Girls members Mel B and Emma Bunton, Vanilla Ice, Taylor Dayne, Kesha, Eve, J Balvin, Kylie Minogue, TLC, Boy George, Jess Glynne, Ava Max, and Boyz II Men.KPOPPED's full eight-episode run is now streaming on Apple TV.