Jan Angelo Batongbakal

BTS’ RM suspended from a nonprofit organization’s ‘Male Role Models’ list

Article (news)

Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

BTS leader RM has been indefinitely suspended from an anti-violence organization’s list of male role models following his recent controversial photo with R&amp;B singer Chris Brown. The Pixel Project, a nonprofit organization advocating against violence toward women, announced the decision after RM and fellow BTS member J-Hope posed for a photo with the R&amp;B singer while he was on his concert in Toronto, Canada. Chris shared the photo on Instagram which quickly circulated online, drawing criticism from some fans and women’s rights advocates who questioned the BTS members’ decision to join the singer given his history of violence against women.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787920760002773492590_18654467617018005_1365805910704651756_n.jpg" style="width:760px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Instagram credits: @chrisbrownofficial</div>In 2009, Chris pleaded guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years of probation, did community labor, and underwent domestic violence counseling.  In July this year, he also pleaded guilty to affray over a 2023 attack on music producer Abe Diaw inside a London nightclub, among other allegations and legal issues involving violence. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/7/26/chris-brown-pleads-guilty-to-2023-london-nightclub-assault-1348" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">READ: Chris Brown pleads guilty to 2023 London nightclub assault</a></div>The Pixel Project had previously recognized RM for his advocacy and influence. Since 2024, he has been included as in the organization’s fifth edition of “16 Male Role Models Helping to Stop Violence Against Women.” In its statement, the organization said it initially chose to wait for RM to publicly address his attendance at Chris’ concert before deciding how to respond. However, the BTS leader has yet to make any public acknowledgment of the controversy. The Pixel Project described his silence as “deafening,” while emphasizing that RM’s position as one of the world’s most influential artists comes with a responsibility to consider the impact of his public actions. “BTS is currently the biggest boy band in the world; their every action has a huge impact and influence on pop culture and the global audience. Whether they like it or not, they are public role models by default, and with this great power comes great responsibility,” the organization said. The nonprofit also clarified that its expectations of RM were never based on perfection but on accountability.  “We have never expected any male role model (including RM) to be perfect. Everyone is human after all. But being a decent human being also means being accountable when your choices hurt other people,” it added. The Pixel Project particularly criticized the decision of RM and J-Hope to pose with Chris, arguing that their platforms can give added visibility to the people they publicly associate with. “RM’s (and J-Hope’s) choice to take that photo with Brown is, at best, careless about the wider damaging impact that comes from publicly associating with a known abuser whose track record of violence (notably cases of severe violence against women including Rihanna) is so extensive there is a Wikipedia page dedicated to it,” the organization maintained. <div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787921791334Kim nam joon.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Photo Credit to @ThePixelProject</div>It further pointed to the distinction between intention and impact, saying that even if the BTS members did not mean for the photograph to be viewed as an endorsement of Chris or his past actions, their global influence still gave the singer additional exposure. “Intent does not always align with impact,” the organization said. “In doing so, they have contributed to perpetuating the system that normalises violent men facing minimal consequences for gender-based violence. This is despite having a fandom that is at least 90% women and girls.” The Pixel Project also highlighted the reaction among ARMYs, noting that some members of the fandom may have experienced emotional distress over the public association, as some are survivors of domestic and sexual violence.   The organization said it “cannot and will not condone” the situation and raised broader concerns about how influential men respond to other men accused or convicted of violence against women. They maintained that they are not currently demanding a public apology or statement from RM or J-Hope. Instead, it urged the BTS members to remember that many of their supporters are women and girls who, like everyone else, deserve equality and freedom from violence. Following the decision, The Pixel Project also announced that it would review and revise a Father’s Day 2025 opinion piece in which RM was cited as an example of a “good but imperfect” male role model. Apart from RM, Puerto Rican rapper and singer bad Bunny was also indefinitely suspended from the male role models list after he performed and posed as photo with Chris.  As of writing, neither RM nor J-Hope has publicly addressed the criticism surrounding their association with the R&amp;B singer.  The photograph also remains posted on Chris’ official Instagram account.

BTS’ RM suspended from a nonprofit organization’s ‘Male Role Models’ list after posing for a photo together with Chris Brown who has a history of violence against women.

BTS’ RM suspended from a nonprofit organization’s ‘Male Role Models’ list after posing for a photo together with Chris Brown who has a history of violence against women.