A global organization campaigning to end violence against women has suspended BTS member RM from its list of male role models after he and fellow BTS member J-Hope were photographed with singer Chris Brown at a concert in Toronto on Aug. 12.

The Pixel Project, a volunteer-led global nonprofit organization that campaigns to end violence against women, announced the decision on Aug. 20.

RM and J-Hope attended a concert by Brown and Usher in Toronto, where they met Brown backstage and posed for a photo with him. Brown later posted the picture on Instagram.

The photo sparked debate among BTS ARMYs, with some questioning the decision of the two BTS members to attend Brown’s concert and others defending them, arguing that their attendance did not necessarily amount to an endorsement of Brown or define their character.

Brown has faced years of controversy over violence against women. In 2009, he assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation and six months of community labor. He has also faced other allegations and legal issues involving violence.

The Pixel Project had previously recognized RM for his advocacy and efforts to address issues involving women.

In 2024, the organization included RM in its fifth honor roll of 16 male role models helping to stop violence against women. It cited his efforts “to address his own internalised misogyny, support women in the arts, and speak out about violence against women in intensely patriarchal” societies.

The organization has now suspended him from the list, citing his silence over the controversy.

“Effective today, we are indefinitely suspending RM from our list of male role models. The Pixel Project had been waiting for RM to issue a public statement or acknowledgement regarding the Chris Brown concert before we responded to this controversy. However, it has been a week of silence on RM’s part and that silence is deafening,” the organization said.

The Pixel Project stressed that it does not expect its male role models to be perfect, but said accountability is important when a person’s choices have an impact on others.

“Being a decent human being also means being accountable when your choices hurt other people,” it said.

The organization described RM and J-Hope’s decision to pose with Brown as “careless about the wider damaging impact” of publicly associating with a performer whose history of violence includes the 2009 assault on Rihanna.

“Intent does not always align with impact,” The Pixel Project said. It added that even if RM and J-Hope did not intend for the photo to be viewed as an endorsement of Brown or violence against women, their fame meant that the encounter gave Brown exposure to their millions of fans and the public.

The organization also pointed to the predominantly female makeup of BTS’ fandom, saying the members’ actions carry particular weight because their audience includes a large number of women and girls.

Despite the criticism, The Pixel Project said RM and J-Hope “continue to remain silent.”

“We cannot and will not condone any of this,” it said.

The organization also called on RM and J-Hope to take concrete action if they continue not to address the controversy, suggesting that they donate to local domestic violence and sexual assault shelters and hotlines in South Korea and in every city and country where BTS’ upcoming “Arirang” tour will stop.

The Pixel Project has indefinitely suspended BTS' RM from its list of role models (Pixel Project)