Controversy Over BTS V’s New MV: Should There Have Been a Warning Label?
Even LE SSERAFIM had to cover their eyes when watching BTS V’s new MV.
Despite his military duties, BTS V recently unveiled his new song “FRI(END)S” on March 15th.
In addition to his trio of close actor friends Choi Woo Sik, Park Hyung Sik, and Park Seo Joon, V also shared the reactions of other stars for his MV, including Squid Game actor Lee Jung Jae, actress Yum Jung Ah, PD Na Young Seok, LE SSERAFIM, and others.
Within the MV, there are two scenes where V is involved in a car accident. Although not shown directly, both LE SSERAFIM and actress Yum Jung Ah were taken aback and almost averted their gazes when watching these scenes, as they weren’t given a warning beforehand.
Why didn’t V include a warning label on this MV?
Since August 2012, South Korea has implemented legislation mandating that all music videos, prior to online release (even for free distribution), must undergo scrutiny by the Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB) for age-appropriate labeling.
This is despite objections from some K-pop artists, who view it as a form of “artistic censorship.” The aim is to shield the younger generation from potentially harmful content.
Several recent MVs have featured warning labels, such as “(G)I-DLE’s “Revenge” and Suga’s “AMYGDALA,” due to their themes of violence or self-harm.
While V’s MV also includes a car collision scene, the idol allowed viewers to access it without any forewarning. Some argue that since the MV lacks explicit or offensive nudity and the car crash scene is brief and appears as an illusion of the protagonist, it’s not perceived as impactful. In comparison to MVs from Western artists, which often contain more sensual or violent elements, V’s MV is relatively tame.
Hence, many believe that V’s MV adheres to industry standards and likely underwent review before release, making the absence of a warning label a non-issue.
Source: K14
