Society | Nov 15

NHK unveils lineup for year-end music show -- without K-pop group BTS

Public broadcaster NHK announced Wednesday the lineup for its annual New Year's Eve music extravaganza, but K-pop group BTS --- under fire recently for a controversial T-shirt worn by one of its members --- was not included.

Popular groups like Da Pump and Ikimonogakari, which got back together this month after a two-year break, will perform in “Kohaku Utagassen,” where acts compete each year as red and white teams.

Also known as the Bangtan Boys, the seven-member South Korean boy band will not be participating — although their appearance had been much anticipated — after one of its members was found to have worn a T-shirt depicting the atomic bombing of Japan.

The group debuted in 2013 and released an album that topped the U.S. Billboard 200 last May

Singer-songwriter Aimyon, idol group King & Prince, chorus group Junretsu, and six-member band Suchmos will perform in the year-end show for the first time.

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