A clip from Simon Cowell: The Next Act featuring a pre-debut boy band. December 10 sparked an internet inferno, not because of what was stated, but because of how precisely it feeds the outrage economy. In the viral moment, one member of his pre-debut band slams BTS as "terrible" while boasting that his own group could "sell out Pluto," which immediately garnered the ire of ARMYs worldwide.

Simon Cowell's band sparked controversy

The casual reference to BTS's live concert legend fueled the uproar. BTS's unprecedented Wembley Stadium sellouts in 2019 were more than just a marketing gimmick. They were the result of nearly a half-decade of tireless effort, years of grassroots fandom building, consistent touring, self-produced music, stories that connected across languages, and a steady rise from tiny venues to worldwide stages. Selling out Wembley twice was a cultural milestone for an Asian artist who primarily performed in Korea.