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'Jimmy Fallon' warm-up comedian's 'North' joke about BTS sparks online backlash

Published: 26 Mar. 2026, 15:44 Updated: 26 Mar. 2026, 17:01

Boy band BTS appears on the NBC talk show ″The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon″ (2014–). [NBC]

A comedian reportedly apologized to BTS after a remark he made during a taping of NBC’s late-night talk show “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (2014–) drew criticism.

According to U.S. media outlet TMZ, warm-up comic Seth Herzog addressed the audience during the Wednesday recording and said, “Anybody here from the North? No? Nobody?”

The remark came as part of an improvised segment in which he asked audience members about their backgrounds.

Some attendees, however, criticized the comment, saying they viewed it as a racially insensitive reference to North Korea that targeted the South Korean boy band.

The issue then spread on social media, which further fueled the controversy. Some online users also called for an apology, citing Herzog’s past social media activity allegedly disparaging Asians.

TMZ, citing sources, stated that Herzog apologized to BTS over the incident. NBC representatives also reportedly spoke to Herzog regarding the remark.

BTS’s appearance on “The Tonight Show” will air in the United States over two nights, Wednesday and Thursday, during which the members will discuss their reunion and promote their new album “Arirang.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]