Lea Salonga unfollows BTS’ RM and j-hope over Chris Brown controversy

The Broadway star protected her peace after waking up “sad and upset” over the incident.

Broadway icon Lea Salonga has opened up about her decision to unfollow BTS members RM and j-hope on Instagram, explaining that the move was a personal choice to protect her peace after realizing how deeply she was being affected by a recent controversy surrounding the South Korean superstars.

Fans noticed that Lea had unfollowed RM and j-hope after the pair were spotted attending a concert featuring Usher and Chris Brown. The issue prompted a fan to ask whether her stance had changed regarding the controversy.

Brown has faced multiple allegations and legal cases involving violence, including his 2009 assault of Rihanna. He has also faced multiple sexual assault allegations, with some civil cases settled out of court and others dismissed.

Lea responded by acknowledging the move, stressing that it was made for her own well-being rather than as a punishment toward either of them.

“Thank you for asking so kindly. First off, my being a fan can be equated to a single grain of sand on a massive beach. Whatever my actions are won’t affect anyone, except maybe cause consternation in the minds of other fans, which I do expect and accept responsibility for,” she wrote.

“It’s not meant to be punitive to either of them, at all. But I recognized that I was waking up sad and/or upset, or finding myself way too affected. This was unhealthy so I took a step back, for me,” Lea added.

The award-winning performer emphasized that while fans may feel they are owed nothing by their idols, she reserves the right to make her own choices.

“They are autonomous human beings, but so am I, and whatever decisions I make are mine alone. If I hurt anyone in the aftermath, that isn’t my intention but I’m sorry if I hurt you nonetheless,” she added.

Despite the unfollow, Lea made it clear that her decision does not erase the profound impact BTS had on her life. The Filipino superstar has been an outspoken fan since the pandemic, when their music became a vital source of comfort during a painful period in her life.

“I am still so grateful for the typhoon they created in my life when they arrived in 2020. I was navigating my marriage ending, raising a teenager, and a global pandemic (not to mention the occasional death threat due to politics). They saved my sanity when I needed saving. I’ll never forget that,” she maintained.

In a separate post, Lea also held herself accountable after netizens resurfaced photos of her with individuals considered “problematic.”

Rather than dismissing the criticism, the Broadway star admitted that those encounters caused her to reflect deeply on her own past decisions.

“I’ve seen photos of myself taken with some problematic people over the course of my life. At the time the decision didn’t seem like anything important, but later on, [it was] enough to keep me from sleeping… I need to hold myself to account for that,” she expressed, noting she chooses to learn and move forward.

Lea recently attended BTS’ “Arirang World Tour” concert at MetLife Stadium with her son, Nic Chien. For her, setting boundaries is not about turning her back on BTS, but about protecting her peace while staying forever grateful for the comfort they provided.

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