Bang Chan has sparked massive discussion online after directly criticizing parts of his own fandom for disrespecting senior JYP group TWICE — a move many fans are calling extremely rare in K-pop fandom culture.

The controversy reportedly began after Stray Kids announced new Latin American dates for their upcoming STRAYCITY tour on May 22. The group confirmed concerts in Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico, generating huge excitement among international fans.

However, the announcement also reignited frustration among some TWICE fans. Earlier, many fans of the girl group had expressed disappointment after rumored plans for Latin American stops on TWICE’s ongoing tour reportedly failed to materialize. As a result, some ONCEs accused JYP Entertainment of allegedly prioritizing Stray Kids over TWICE when it came to international touring opportunities.

What initially started as criticism directed at the company quickly escalated into a full-scale fanwar online. Across X and other social media platforms, fans from both fandoms began exchanging insults and attacking the artists themselves. As tensions grew, the situation became increasingly hostile, with some comments crossing into outright disrespect toward both groups.

The conflict took an unexpected turn when Bang Chan personally addressed the issue.

Although he did not comment on accusations that Stray Kids had somehow “taken” TWICE’s Latin American opportunities, the idol directly called out fans who were disrespecting the senior girl group. In a message shared with fans, Bang Chan urged people to “just appreciate and be grateful for TWICE,” emphasizing that the members are his friends and that he holds deep respect for them.

The response immediately exploded across social media because it is relatively uncommon for K-pop idols — especially active group leaders — to publicly criticize behavior within their own fandoms so directly.

Many TWICE fans praised Bang Chan for speaking up and attempting to calm the hostility. Across online communities, numerous users described his comments as mature, respectful, and necessary given how toxic the fanwar had become. Some fans even argued that his statement reflected the kind of leadership that has made him widely respected within the industry.

At the same time, reactions inside the Stray Kids fandom became deeply divided.

While some STAYs supported Bang Chan and agreed that attacking TWICE was unnecessary, others reacted negatively to his message. A portion of fans accused him of “siding” with another fandom instead of defending his own supporters during the controversy. Several angry posts criticizing Bang Chan’s response began circulating online shortly afterward, with some users claiming he unfairly blamed his own fans while ignoring the original frustrations surrounding JYP Entertainment.

The backlash itself then created another wave of debate, as many observers pointed out the irony of fans attacking Bang Chan immediately after he asked for less hostility.

Some fans from both communities eventually attempted to de-escalate the situation, urging people to stop fighting altogether for the sake of the artists involved. Many pointed out that members of Stray Kids and TWICE have publicly shown mutual support and friendship for years, making the intensity of the online conflict feel especially unnecessary.

The incident has since become one of the biggest K-pop discourse topics of the week, not only because of the fandom conflict itself, but because Bang Chan’s response challenged a dynamic that rarely gets addressed publicly in idol culture: how far fandom behavior can spiral when artists themselves remain respectful toward one another.

Whether people agreed with his approach or not, Bang Chan’s decision to openly confront the toxicity within his own fandom has undeniably become one of the most talked-about and polarizing idol moments online right now.