BTS leader RM was removed from The Pixel Project’s “Male Role Models” list after fans criticized him for attending a Chris Brown concert in Toronto with J-Hope. The nonprofit organization paused his spot because he stayed silent and did not address the backlash. The global group announced the decision on August 19, a week after RM and fellow BTS member J-Hope went to a Chris Brown and Usher concert on August 12.
Why the Pixel Project Removed RM and What They Say
On August 12, 2026, BTS members RM and J-Hope flew to Toronto for an Usher and Chris Brown concert. J-Hope posted an Instagram video of them enjoying the show, and Chris Brown later shared a photo posing with both of them.
This caused a huge reaction online, with many ARMYs expressing disappointment that RM and J-Hope associated with Chris Brown. Brown is well known for a history of violence, domestic abuse, assault, and rape allegations. Brown is out on bail while waiting for an October 2026 court trial in the UK for his recent assault charges. The Pixel Project removed RM from its role models list “indefinitely” and said it would update its earlier article about him. The organization explained that RM and J-Hope’s public appearance gave extra attention to Chris Brown, stressing that leaders must take responsibility when their actions hurt or upset others.
Statement from The Pixel Project: Regarding RM’s Photo with Chris Brown
The Pixel Project had been waiting for RM to issue a public statement or acknowledgement regarding the Chris Brown concert before we responded to this controversy. However, it has been a week of silence on RM’s part and that silence is deafening. 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.
Even if RM (and J-Hope) did not intend for that picture to be a public endorsement of an abuser or violence against women, their level of fame means that they have automatically platformed Brown in front of their millions of fans and the general public. In doing so, they have contributed to perpetuating the system that normalizes 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 added RM to its 2024 list because he worked to challenge sexism, supported women in the arts, and spoke up against violence against women in South Korea. RM was one of 16 men on the list. In 2025, the charity featured him in a Father’s Day article as an example of a role model who is not perfect but is willing to learn and improve. RM once took responsibility for misogynistic lyrics in early BTS songs, consulting a women’s studies professor to review his writing and pushing his agency to require gender sensitivity training for all their artists.
The backlash intensified after Chris Brown reportedly commented, “Pray bout it h*e” on a TikTok video by a BTS fan who criticized his history of abuse and questioned why the BTS members went to his concert.
Fans’ Reaction on Social Media
Some fans criticized the group for removing RM while keeping celebrities like Bad Bunny and Justin Baldoni. They argued the organization should hold all featured celebrities to the exact same standards. Fans argued that suspending RM was overly harsh for simply attending a concert, accusing the group of applying rules unfairly. They urged the organization to publish clear standards for everyone on its list, not just RM.
Other artists on the list, such as Bad Bunny, also need to be reviewed. Source
Men who act abusively towards women and try to destroy their reputation are still on the list with just a note, while namjoon was “indefinitely suspended” for attending a concert. Source
Bad Bunny can have a photo with Chris Brown and still be recognized by the Pixel Project, but Namjoon got removed? Oh yeah, super consistent. Source
The Pixel Project suspended RM over the Chris Brown photo/concert, yet Bad Bunny (who has also associated with him and has been on the same male role models list since 2024) remains. Source
After The Pixel Project removed RM from its role models list, calling his silence “deafening,” both RM and HYBE have remained silent. The Pixel Project is a virtual, volunteer-led global nonprofit organization that uses social media, technology, and pop culture to raise awareness, funds, and volunteers to end violence against women.