BTS RM removed from The Pixel Project’s ‘Male Role Models’ list after Chris Brown concert controversy

BTS leader RM has been indefinitely suspended from The Pixel Project’s “16 Male Role Models Helping to Stop Violence Against Women” list following his attendance at a Chris Brown concert, the organisation said.

The Pixel Project, a global non-profit organisation focused on ending violence against women, announced the decision on August 19, 2026.

The organisation said RM’s continued silence over the controversy conflicted with the values for which he had previously been recognised.

The organisation had earlier highlighted RM’s efforts to “address his own internalised misogyny, support women in the arts, and speak out about violence against women in intensely patriarchal South Korea”.

However, The Pixel Project said it had waited for RM to address the controversy surrounding his attendance at the concert. Referring to his silence, the organisation said it was “deafening”.

RM and fellow BTS member J-Hope attended a concert in Toronto on August 12, where Chris Brown performed.

J-Hope shared Instagram Stories from Brown’s set, while Brown later posted a photograph with the two BTS members.

The incident drew criticism from fans because of Brown’s history of violence against women, including his 2009 felony assault conviction involving Rihanna. The article also states that Brown pleaded guilty to affray in the UK in 2026.

The Pixel Project said it would also review and revise a 2025 Father’s Day op-ed that featured RM as a case study of an imperfect male role model.

The organisation concluded its statement by saying, “Being a decent human being also means being accountable when your choices hurt other people”.