NCT Johnny‘s recent actions in a now-deleted video have sparked major backlash towards the idol, drawing significant criticism from fans and netizens alike. The controversy highlights ongoing discussions within the K-Pop community regarding artist accountability and problematic associations.
Although it is now unavailable to watch, GQ Korea recently posted a video featuring the popular NCT 127 members, set to Kesha’s iconic song “TiK ToK.” The video was intended to be a fun, lighthearted piece showcasing the idols’ personalities, but it quickly took an unexpected turn.
260817 gq_korea Instagram reel with NCT 127#NCT127 #엔시티127 pic.twitter.com/GHvds9o1IR
Yet netizens quickly hit back at Johnny after seeing that while other members in the video didn’t lip-sync to specific parts of the song, he notably did when the lyrics included the phrase “Feeling like P.Diddy.” This seemingly minor action ignited a firestorm of criticism due to the serious allegations surrounding the music mogul.
Fans were quick to point out that linking an idol to Sean “Diddy” Combs, even indirectly through a song lyric, is deeply concerning. In particular, the backlash is due to P. Diddy’s extensive legal history, including past crimes that led to 50 months in prison, as well as multiple ongoing lawsuits alleging sexual assault and abuse. The timing of this incident is particularly sensitive. In particular, it became a hot topic amid BTS’s recent controversy of attending Chris Brown‘s concert, which also sparked intense debate among fans regarding idols’ associations with figures facing serious accusations. This latest incident with Johnny further fuels the conversation about K-Pop artists’ responsibility to be mindful of the public figures they acknowledge or endorse, even inadvertently.
Nugu privilege is real cause if this was BTSpic.twitter.com/Vy4XKSE9VL
— jeon swan 🦢 (@jeonsummerz) August 19, 2026
??? Why is he only lip syncing pdiddy?? https://t.co/dhHStwda2R
— johnny puh 🤤|| #BLINGY (@jhnnysuhg) August 17, 2026
Johnny proudly mouthing only the P DI*DY part is definitely a choice https://t.co/OsHHTypLKW pic.twitter.com/KlPPVsOzdb
— no_escape (@fl1high_) August 18, 2026
