Brazilian influencer Pietra Bertolacci announced the temporary suspension of operations on online platforms after a controversial statement about the group BTS. In just 24 hours, the incident attracted more than 1 million interactions, becoming a hot topic of discussion in Brazil.
In the latest announcement, Bertolacci said that she had moved her Instagram account to private mode after receiving many attacking comments. Bertolacci affirmed that her statement was only intended to express her views on the aesthetic trends in the current entertainment industry, and denied any intention to offend Koreans or K-pop culture. The Brazilian influencer also said that she would ask the law to intervene in cases of harassment and threats to her online.
The controversy originated from Bertolacci's post after BTS's performance in the halftime show of the 2026 World Cup final on July 19. She called BTS members "feminine and frivolous men", and expressed concern that the group's image is becoming a standard for young people.
This statement quickly received strong reactions from the Brazilian online community. Many people believe that Bertolacci has judged others based on gender stereotypes, imposing a traditional masculine image on artists. Some opinions also believe that her statement shows a lack of sympathy for Korean artists and K-pop culture.
According to data from Brazil's data analysis company Nexus, within 24 hours of the controversy breaking out, the total number of likes, comments and shares related to the incident on social networking platforms such as X, Instagram and Facebook has exceeded 1 million.
On X alone, about 23,000 accounts posted articles about the incident, creating more than 33,000 mentions with about 11.4 million views. The articles also recorded more than 432,000 interactions. Meanwhile, Pietra Bertolacci's name was searched more than 20,000 times on Google in about 20 hours, an increase of about 2,100% compared to the previous day.
Although she has deleted the post and spoken out to explain, Bertolacci continues to face a wave of criticism. Many opinions believe that her explanation does not change the nature of the initial statement, because judging an artist based on appearance or performance style easily creates inappropriate prejudices.
This is also not the first time BTS has become the target of controversial statements abroad. In many years of international activities, the group has been ridiculed many times for their appearance, fashion style, use of makeup or images different from traditional masculinity. Some statements from celebrities and hosts in Europe and the US have been criticized by public opinion for being considered racist or discriminatory towards Asian artists.
Despite the controversies, BTS still maintains strong influence in the global music market. The group continuously set many records in sales, tours and international awards, while contributing to bringing K-pop to reach a wide audience around the world.
