Rookie South Korean boy group EPEX returned with the release of " 'Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 1. 21st Century Boys", their 3rd mini-album, and title song "Anthem of Teen Spirit".

Soon after the song was released, a part of the lyrics in the title song stirred controversy among listeners, in particular German speakers, regarding the line "Crystal Night is coming".

Listeners claimed that the "Crystal Night" in the lyrics refers to Kristallnacht. It was a violent riot where Nazi forces massacred Jews and the German authorities did not intervene. The event occurred during the Holocaust in November 1938.

The organized massacre of the Jewish community in Germany is a horrific incident, which German citizens and the rest of the world have still not forgotten.

The issue immediately triggered a controversy, with K-pop fans all over the world demanding an explanation from the band's management company for negligence and poor execution.

In addition, the music video of the song showcased hostage scenes, guns, and outfits that had a resemblance to Nazi military uniforms.

Now, C9 Entertainment, which manages EPEX, released a statement on April 13 saying that the band's new song has nothing to do with the Holocaust.

According to the newly released statement, EPEX's music, lyrics, and music videos are based on physics theories, films, and literary works. Furthermore, the new song was inspired by "1984", a book that English Novelist George Orwell published in 1949.

The agency clarified that the song highlights and warns of the harm that the robotic education system is causing to Korean youths. They also apologized to everyone in Korea and abroad for being inattentive to the use of controversial content. The management company also took full responsibility for the ensuing controversy and apologized to all those who were offended.

C9 stated that now they changing some parts of the song, which were unintentionally misunderstood. They revealed that the new lyrics had already been re-recorded and that the company would change and register them with all the music service companies worldwide as soon as possible.

The entertainment agency also refuted allegations that certain portions of the song's music video and costumes are representative of real historical events.

For now, fans have been appreciative that C9 chose to address the issue quickly, rather than ignoring it and letting it fester.

You can check the music video of the song here.

Copyright © 2023 Kpop Reporter. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.