The idol group BOYNEXTDOOR is facing controversy after they were seen collectively showing off their Apple iPhones while departing for a trip. This comes shortly after their sponsorship with Samsung Galaxy ended, leading to speculation that they were hastily replacing their devices with a competing product.
BOYNEXTDOOR left for Madrid, Spain, through Incheon International Airport on the 11th for an overseas performance. They are a six-member boy group (Seongho, Liu, Myungjae-hyun, Taesan, Ihan, Unhak) under KOZ Entertainment, which is led by Zico, and they debuted in May last year.
What caught attention was that, during their photo opportunity in front of photographers before entering the airport, the members visibly held up their iPhones.
One member took out an iPhone, while others formed a peace sign with their hands as they took a selfie together. Three of the members were also wearing AirPods Max around their necks.
However, the issue lies in the fact that BOYNEXTDOOR had been using Galaxy products for some time while collaborating with Samsung.
They attended the launch party for the Galaxy S23 FE last December, and Samsung even sent a coffee truck with the message, “Galaxy supports the bright future of Boynextdoor, shining like stars in the night sky.”
But less than a year later, they were promoting Apple products at the airport.
Online communities and platforms like Nate Pann have been flooded with posts expressing genuine disappointment in Boynextdoor, stating, “Do they really have to show off like that after using it for the ads?” and “There’s such a thing as moral conduct.”
Opinions have also emerged expressing disappointment with Samsung’s Galaxy marketing strategy.
One internet user pointed out, “It’s not uncommon to see celebrities using iPhones right after their contract ends, after being hired to promote the brand. Wouldn’t it be better to sign advertising contracts with celebrities who already use Galaxy products?”
Currently, this topic is trending on forums like Pann and Instiz. Here are some comments from K-netizens:
- “It’s not appropriate to act like that right after ending the contract.”
- “There’s no need to show off like this. They don’t know when the Galaxy ads will come back. It feels like they’re saying, ‘Using Galaxy was exhausting; finally, we’re free.’”
- “Why act like they’re enemies of Samsung?”
- “They probably won’t be able to accept advertising from any Samsung branches in the future. They might even get blacklisted.”
- “This action doesn’t deserve heavy criticism, but it does come off as somewhat shallow.”
- “The issue isn’t about using Samsung or Apple, but doing this right after the contract ended is inappropriate. Other brands will definitely think twice about choosing this group as models.”