Lea Salonga explains why she unfollowed BTS' RM, J-Hope
Lea Salonga explained why she decided to unfollow BTS members RM and J-Hope, emphasizing that the move was not punitive but a step she needed to take for her own sake.
On Threads, the Tony Award-winning actress addressed the issue during her #AskMissLea session after a follower asked why she had decided to unfollow the two BTS members.
“First off, my being a fan can be equated to a single grain of sand on a massive beach. Whatever my actions are won’t affect anyone, except maybe cause consternation in the minds of other fans, which I do expect and accept responsibility for," Salonga wrote.
She then clarified that she unfollowed the two members for her own well-being, stressing that the move was not meant to be punitive.
“Yes I did unfollow, but I did it for my own sake," she said.
"It’s not meant to be punitive to either of them, at all. But I recognized that I was waking up sad and/or upset, or find myself way too affected. This was unhealthy so I took a step back, for me," she continued. She also acknowledged that fans are owed nothing from the BTS members, but noted that she, too, is free to decide what is best for her.
“As many fans have rightly pointed out, we are owed nothing really. They are autonomous human beings, but so am I, and whatever decisions I make are mine alone. If I hurt anyone in the aftermath, that isn’t my intention but I’m sorry if I hurt you nonetheless," she added.
Salonga was asked about giving Joon and Hobi grace, to which she said the situation was less about withholding grace and more about giving herself some space.
"Right now, it’s not about giving them grace or not, but rather giving myself the space to stop being upset. I’m giving them as much grace as I can. As I’ve said, this isn’t punitive, I’m not doing this to punish them," the actress said.
"This is a step to take in order for me to be able to enjoy the music again, and I will get there eventually. I hope you understand," she added.
In a separate thread, Salonga reflected on past interactions with people she later came to view as problematic, emphasizing the need to reflect on her own choices.
"I’ve seen photos of myself taken with some problematic people over the course of my life. At the time the decision didn’t seem like anything important, but later on, were enough to keep me from sleeping. Further research, thought and reflection cemented my own discomfort. I knew I needed to sit and stew in that," she said. "I need to hold myself to account for that."
She underscored that accountability is not just something to demand from others, but something she must also practice herself.
"I know that I can’t turn back the clock and undo what I’ve done. All I can do is learn from it and do better moving forward. That’s it. That’s all," she added.
Salonga also said that she remains grateful to BTS for the comfort and support they brought into her life during a particularly difficult period. The Forgotten Island voice actor shared that in 2020, she was navigating a separation, raising a teenager, and receiving death threats over her political stance—all in the middle of a global pandemic.
"They saved my sanity when I needed saving. I’ll never forget that," the actress said.
This came after RM and J-Hope faced backlash for attending a Toronto concert by American singer Chris Brown, who has faced several assault charges.
The controversy prompted The Pixel Project, a women’s anti-violence nonprofit, to suspend RM from its list of male role models.
"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," the organization wrote in its statement.
"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," it added.
