The group SEVENTEEN has issued an apology following the controversy surrounding their use of the Great Wall of China as a backdrop in a promotional video.

On September 24, SEVENTEEN's agency, Pledis Entertainment, stated through their official channel, "We released a Beijing version teaser video for SEVENTEEN's 11th mini-album 'SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN'. However, after its release, we received feedback from fans pointing out a lack of cultural understanding and respect towards the Great Wall of China, prompting us to promptly remove the video."

The statement continued, "We apologize to our fans for any inconvenience caused and will be more careful in the future."

Previously, SEVENTEEN had released teaser videos for their new song, showcasing various global locations, including Seoul, Tokyo, Paris, New York, and Beijing, with floating chamomile flowers as a recurring theme. The Beijing video specifically featured the Great Wall of China as its backdrop.

This led to some Chinese individuals expressing their displeasure, stating, "No Chinese celebrities use the Great Wall for promotional purposes." It's known that there's sensitivity in China towards using the Great Wall as a backdrop for filming or production.

On the 23rd, Pledis had released the teaser video on SEVENTEEN's official account to promote the mini-album 'SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN', set to be released on October 23rd.

Below is the full statement from Pledis Entertainment:

Hello,

This is Pledis Entertainment.

We would like to address the Beijing teaser video related to SEVENTEEN's 11th mini-album 'SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN'.

On September 23rd, at 2:14 PM local time in China, we released the Beijing version of the teaser video titled 'SVT RIGHT HERE' for SEVENTEEN's 11th mini-album 'SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN'. The Beijing version was produced with the iconic cultural heritage site, the Great Wall of China, as the backdrop, featuring rising chamomile flowers. However, after its release, we received feedback from fans about the lack of cultural understanding and respect towards the Great Wall.

In response, we promptly removed the Beijing version of the video. We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our fans and will be more attentive in the future.

Moving forward, we will strive to create content that fans from various countries and diverse cultural backgrounds can all enjoy together.

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