XLOV’s agency 257 is implementing a new policy banning flags at the group’s concerts. Concert promoter 5 Oceans Studio announced the news on Instagram following the group’s Warsaw concert. The move is supposed to create “a neutral and welcoming space where every fan can feel equally represented and comfortable.” They claimed that 257 made this decision “out of consideration for all communities and individual beliefs.”
However, fans are claiming this move is meant to prevent fans from bringing pride flags to XLOV’s concerts. There have been incidents at the group’s tour where pride flags were reportedly confiscated by staff. One staff member took away a rainbow fan at a show in the Philippines. At another concert, a staff member allegedly yelled at XLOV’s Rui for picking up a pride flag onstage. At the same show, another member Wumati held a Polish flag without issue.
The Fine Line Between Representation and Exploitation
XLOV’s entire identity was designed to attract queer fans. Their androgynous styling, their message of wanting to break boundaries weren’t accidents. They were branding decisions meant to help the group stand out in a saturated industry. CEO Park Jae Yong even admitted that XLOV’s genderless image is “just a concept,” not a reflection of the members’ identities.
What 257 Entertainment is doing is both bold and stupid. Out of all the concepts they could have picked, they settled on one that’s based on gender identity. Of course, XLOV will have a predominantly queer fandom because 257 is doing everything they can do to attract this demographic. Then they have the audacity to ban pride flags at their concerts.
This is one of the worst cases of queerbaiting I’ve seen in K-pop. 257 is courting LGBTQ+ fans with aesthetics and coded gestures while rejecting their presence when it becomes inconvenient.
Fans Aren’t Buying the “Neutrality” Excuse
Fans have accused 257 Entertainment of queerphobia, censorship, and queerbaiting. Many are upset that the statement announcing the ban had XLOV’s logo. The inclusion of the logo makes it look as if the members themselves endorsed it. This is adding to fans’ fury as the members of XLOV have always been accepting of their queer fans.
“Neutrality” in this context means erasing queer visibility to make conservative audiences comfortable. Pride flags are a sign that queer fans feel seen. When a company claims to respect everyone by silencing one group, that’s not neutrality. That’s control.
Despite the ban, some fans plan to protest by bringing even more pride flags to future shows. Others are already organizing campaigns demanding 257 reverse its decision before XLOV’s comeback in November.
The Cost of Conditional Acceptance
257 Entertainment is sending a strong message to XLOV’s queer fans. They don’t want XLOV to associate too closely with the LGBTQ+ community. Yet the agency is still sticking with the group’s genderless concept so they’ll stand out.
People have been waiting for sincere LGBTQ+ representation in K-pop. Something that goes beyond fan service like skin ship. For a moment, it seemed like XLOV could be a turning point. Now it’s becoming clear it was nothing but a marketing tactic.
This stance will only hurt 257 and XLOV in the long-term. People have been longing for sincere representation of the LGBTQ+ community for years. There’s been concern but also hope that XLOV’s concept wasn’t performative. If 257 keeps this up, fans will ditch the group and move on to other artists who aren’t as exploitative of their queer fans.
Queerbaiting works until the audience starts paying attention. 257 Entertainment wanted to profit from queer-coded marketing without engaging with queer identity. You can’t build a fandom on visibility and then punish fans for being visible.
