Stray Kids' Bang Chan recently ignited controversy with comments about junior idols neglecting to greet him during KBS2's "2023 Music Bank in Paris," held on April 7. While Bang Chan didn't name the offending group, the comments led to heated speculation among fans and a wave of criticism directed at girl group IVE, despite the lack of concrete evidence.

Bang Chan, during a live broadcast with fans, lamented the decline of traditional greetings, hinting at a disrespectful encounter with junior idols during the Paris event. His comments were subsequently shared widely online, sparking debate and speculation among the fandoms of the various groups that participated in the music show.

The lineup for the music show included Stray Kids, NMIXX, IVE, ENHYPEN, P1Harmony, CRAVITY, AB6IX, THE BOYZ, and MAMAMOO. Based on Bang Chan's hints that the issue involved a junior group, fans, known as STAYs, began to narrow down the list of potential culprits. International fans eventually pointed the finger at IVE, despite no specific group being named by Bang Chan.

Rumors were fueled further by videos shared on social media platforms like TikTok, which appeared to show IVE members ignoring Bang Chan and Lee Know when they bowed in greeting.

In response to the growing criticism, IVE's fandom, known as DIVEs, rallied to defend the girl group. They argued that the members were preoccupied with greeting their own fans and simply didn't see the Stray Kids members. Their argument was supported by several Korean netizens, who suggested that the issue was blown out of proportion.

Some netizens criticized Bang Chan for not addressing the issue directly with the alleged offenders or their management. They highlighted the potential harm that such speculation could cause to the implicated idols and questioned Bang Chan's decision to air his grievances publicly.

Others argued that the incident was simply a miscommunication or poor timing, and not a deliberate act of disrespect on IVE's part. They noted that the intense scrutiny and criticism over such a minor incident are unwarranted.

The incident underscores the intensity of K-pop fandoms and the potential for misunderstandings to quickly escalate into major controversies. As of now, no official statement has been issued by any of the parties involved.

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