Turns out, one BTS member nearly made a Super Bowl debut, and here’s why we’re glad he Diddy-n’t

At this point, everyone and their mothers know that BTS is in the military — at least, mine certainly does, given the amount of whining she has to hear from me. After all, it’s been two and a half years since the first member was conscripted, and we still have one more year to go.

In the meantime, we’ve been gifted new albums, shows, and almost everything you can think of, to help us not feel so alone. We’ve even had collaborations like RM with Megan Thee Stallion or J-Hope with J. Cole. But perhaps one of the most contentious collaborations in BTS history came from the golden maknae himself, Jeon Jungkook, when he teamed up with Usher for a remix of “Standing Next to You.”

While Golden was a worldwide success, immediately topping global charts upon its release, HYBE’s decision to collaborate with Usher raised some eyebrows. Truth be told, it was a smart business move — Usher has long been in the spotlight, he’s incredibly talented, and he was about to headline the Super Bowl. In fact, Jungkook nearly joined Usher on the Super Bowl stage as well, but of course, due to the mandatory service, he was forced to decline.

This would have made Jungkook not only the first BTS member to perform at the Super Bowl but also the first Korean singer to appear at the most-watched event in America. Reactions from fans, however, were… mixed, to say the least. “Don’t talk to me right now, I’m literally inconsolable,” one fan lamented. “We were so robbed,” echoed dozens of others.

Sure, some fans loved the collaboration, thrilled that Jungkook was gaining more exposure in the U.S. and “inconsolable” that he wasn’t included in the halftime show. However, others were clearly uncomfortable with yet another artist seemingly trying to profit from BTS’s global success — while reaping the benefits. Of course, we won’t name anyone, but… Jason Derulo comes to mind. Anyway.

Unfortunately, it seems that fans in the latter camp were right to be wary of this collaboration, though perhaps not for the reasons they originally thought. While performing at the Super Bowl would undoubtedly have been a massive career move for Jungkook, it wouldn’t be as ethically sound as we were led to believe. For starters, ARMY has been hyper-aware of Usher’s controversial past, especially his support for Israel.

In 2014, Usher posted a now-deleted Instagram photo with the caption “#IStandWithIsrael.” Nine years later, following the events of October 7, Usher once again voiced his support for Israel, only to quickly delete the post. He has never retracted his endorsement of the state, despite having been rather quick to show his support for Israel not once, but twice.

More recently, Usher’s reputation has been even more tainted by his alleged ties to none other than P. Diddy. While the full extent of Usher and Diddy’s relationship remains in the dark, it’s well-known that Usher considered Diddy a mentor, even attending the infamous “Puffy Flavor Camp” for industry guidance. To be fair, he was 13 years old and should likely not have been at the camp in the first place.

Whether Usher ended up as a victim or remains an apologist for Diddy’s alleged crimes is not yet known. But one thing is clear: ARMY is not letting this go. The news that Jungkook didn’t get to associate himself with Usher even further was only seen as a positive thing all around, and we’re inclined to agree for a plethora of reasons, but deleting seven thousand tweets after Diddy was arrested is right at the top of our heads.

Would Jungkook make a phenomenal halftime guest? Absolutely — BTS has some of the best stage presence the music world has ever seen, after all. At the same time, just two years ago, Jungkook headlined the actual biggest sports event in the world: the World Cup. Sorry, Americans, but the Super Bowl isn’t nearly as popular outside the U.S. as you might have been led to believe. So, all things considered, all’s well that ends well.