RM, a member of the group BTS, faced allegations that after a concert in Japan he smoked in a local no-smoking area and discarded his cigarette butt without permission.
According to the Japanese weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun on the 23rd, RM, who was staying in Japan for performances, recently attended a drinking gathering with acquaintances in Tokyo's Shibuya entertainment district. He moved between several izakayas and bars, and during this process, cameras captured him stepping outside to smoke on the street. The outlet also released about 20 related photos.
According to the report, RM stayed at one establishment in Shibuya for about three hours before moving around 1 a.m. Although there was no designated smoking area inside the building at the time, RM and his party reportedly smoked several times in places with clear no-smoking signs, such as the building corridor.
A security guard at the scene told Shūkan Bunshun, "RM threw the cigarette butt he finished right onto the street." The guard said the guard personally cautioned RM. The outlet also reported that a female employee who witnessed it had to pick up the butt and clean up afterward.
Japan strictly regulates street smoking and discarding cigarette butts outside of designated smoking areas and tends to react sensitively to related violations. After this was reported, local fans responded with comments such as "His manners while staying in Japan were disappointing," as well as "It's a cultural difference for overseas artists" and "It's a private matter."