K-pop fans hit back at Skytrain, MRT over protest shutdown
Thailand’s K-pop fan clubs have found a new vehicle to show their love for Korean superstars, in a protest against the BTS Skytrain and MRT train systems.
This week, posters of South Korean boy band BTS began appearing on tuk-tuk taxis in Bangkok, instantly grabbing the attention of social media users.
Fan clubs of Korean pop stars usually buy billboards in BTS Skytrain and MRT stations to celebrate their beloved artists or draw the attention of other fan clubs who admire the same artists.
However, after the BTS and MRT suspended services during student-led pro-democracy rallies, the fan clubs switched their promotional campaigns to tuk-tuks.
The new way of celebrating K-pop idols has caught the eye of netizens after being introduced on Tuesday (December 1). Social media users praised the idea as a creative way of helping tuk-tuk drivers at a time when tourists are scarce in Bangkok due to Covid-19.
However, others pointed out the fan clubs are mostly made up of students and working people who take the BTS or MRT, so the tuk-tuk campaign might not be so effective.