PETALING JAYA, August 27 — Local actress Tiz Zaqyah has been on the receiving end of hateful comments after angering K-Pop group BTS’s famed fanbase known as ‘Army’.
The 31-year-old, whose real name is Siti Zaqyah Abdul Razak, earned the ire of Army after she replied to a post by Twitter user Effi Saharudin, which criticised the South Korean group’s lyrics.
Effi’s post condemned BTS’s lyrics in their newly released single Dynamite for being too “childish”, saying that it was as if a nine-year-old wrote them.
“It’s meant for kids isn’t it?” replied Tiz.
Army didn’t take kindly to the Nur Kasih star’s thoughts on the matter, as many of the K-Pop group’s loyalists began attacking her on the social media platform, saying that she didn’t understand BTS’s music.
“I think Tiz only considers love songs to be ‘mature’ enough. BTS doesn’t write that kind of lovey-dovey nonsense. They write songs with meaning. Are there any Malaysian producers who make songs about loving yourself? They just write love songs,” wrote one user.
Other users explained tol Tiz that Dynamite was released to cheer up BTS’s fans during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many still coming to grips with the “new norm” with the virus around.
The single, which was released a week ago, has garnered over 213 million views since it was uploaded and is currently number one on the YouTube trending list.
Not one to keep to herself, Tiz stood up for herself amidst the criticism she faced, as she explained what she really meant by her comment.
Tiz said she wasn’t trying to condemn the K-Pop sensations in any way, and was merely stating that their music is made to be more relatable to the younger generation.
“It’s made easy and catchy for children to understand. What is wrong with my statement? I mean they’re not gonna write lyrics like Limp Bizkit’s Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavoured Water album right?” said Tiz.
“People need to learn and chill. Check your bitterness level, please. Even artistes like Katy Perry and Sia tailor their lyrics for all ages. From kids to adults.
“So what’s wrong with me saying that BTS ARMY? You guys are so rude. Wouldn’t BTS be embarrassed if they knew how rude you are?”
She added that she was only trying to emphasize the fact that BTS is designed to be more appealing to younger people, which is why their lyrics are often simplified to cater to mass audiences of differing demographics.
While her attempts to explain herself didn’t really appease Army, Tiz later “cleared the air” on her social media account as she apologised for upsetting BTS’s hardcore fans.
— TIZZY (@iamTizZaqyah) August 26, 2020
“Dear BTS ARMY, I am truly sorry if the word ‘kids’ offended you. I never meant anything bad when I said ‘meant for kids’, because it’s such an honourable thing to be recognised by millions of kids and youths around the world. It’s a dream to many, even me!
“Maybe I was just in the wrong conversation, and the rude responses made me so angry. But I know that not all of the ARMY is toxic. I have spoken to many of you and I am touched by your kind words, and I do have nothing against BTS,” she said.
