Boy group 1VERSE drew sharp criticism after sharing and deleting a TikTok video on July 21 that joked about child abuse. The group and member Kenny issued apologies the next day, yet many fans announced they were leaving the fandom.
The now-deleted video showed three members of 1VERSE with the caption “I’ll show you how to tell when a child is being abused,” depicting one member flinching as another opened his hands. After fans voiced complaints, the group’s official account posted a statement acknowledging the hurt caused within the 5TARZ community.
Kenny released two audio apologies on the fan platform b.stage, explaining the clip was meant to poke at rumors that the company was abusing the members. Fans called the explanation insufficient and pointed to ongoing concerns about the group’s management and the status of two absent members.
Multiple fan accounts announced they were going on permanent hiatus or closing entirely, with some subscribers canceling paid memberships. Others demanded the group disband, citing repeated controversies and a lack of new music releases.