Inside Coldplay star Chris Martin’s unlikely friendship with K-Pop superstar BTS singer Jin and the strange row that emerged over whether their ‘love’ is authentic
Coldplay singer Chris Martin and BTS crooner Jin have had a blossoming friendship since their bands teamed up in 2021.
Their big hit My Universe debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
The incredible feat was the Korean group’s sixth song in the US and Coldplay’s second after 2008 single Viva La Vida.
Chris and Jin have publicly expressed their admiration for each other, with the Coldplay singer even gifting the Korean star his favorite guitar.
But why has a fight arisen over the authenticity of their friendship? MailOnline takes a look at the unlikely bond between the two musicians.
Coldplay singer Chris Martin (pictured) and BTS crooner Jin have had a blossoming friendship since their bands teamed up in 2021
BTS and Coldplay’s collaboration – My Universe – debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 (Photo: Jin in 2022)
But why has a row arisen among fans questioning the authenticity of Coldplay and BTS’ friendship? (from left to right in 2021: J-Hope, Jin, V, Jungkook, Jimin, Suga and Chris Martin center)
When did Coldplay and BTS collaborate?
Legendary British band Coldplay teamed up with global sensation BTS to bring My Universe to the masses in 2021.
Produced by Swedish hitmaker Max Martin, the collaboration between the Korean and English band was released to fans on September 24, 2021.
Discussing the creative process, singer Chris Martin described the boy band as a “pleasure” to work with.
“I love them, and we love them, and it was so much fun,” he said on Zayne Lowe’s show. Apple Music One show.
“It’s something you can look at so cynically, and we have at times, but anytime there’s actual communication or music between us, it just feels so good.
“So I’m unashamedly and unashamedly very grateful for the song, grateful for the person who inspired the song, and grateful for the people we sing it with.”
The British pop crooner opened up about how the single came about, revealing that the idea for the song came from ‘a loving lyric’.
Chris added, “It’s been on my mind for a while that someone had mentioned that BTS was wondering if we would do a song for them or something like that.
“And the phrase ‘My universe’ in this lyric was like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool song title.’
Chris listened to a spare loop he received from an employee named Bill Rahko and explained that the chorus came to him while he was driving around in his car.
‘So I drove straight back to the studio and said, “Okay, let’s put this down now.” This is all on the same day. Then I started singing the chorus, and it felt good,” he said.
After the phone call, the band started communicating with BTS and flew all the way to Korea to get started.
The popular groups also took the American Music Awards stage in November 2021 to perform their global hit My Universe.
Produced by Swedish hitmaker Max Martin, the collaboration between the Korean and English band released the single to fans on September 24, 2021.
Chris Martin described the boy band as a ‘pleasure’ to work with: ‘I love them, and we love them’
Is BTS singer Jin a Coldplay fan?
After their collaboration, BTS’s Jin announced that Chris had gifted him a guitar with ‘Worldwide Handsome Jin’ inscribed on the side.
Eagle-eyed fans even spotted a detail that made the gift even more meaningful: the instrument had been played by Chris since 2012 and was one of his favorites.
The Korean singer also received a whole series of Love Buttons, which Chris himself regularly wears.
Jin has been open about his admiration for the British band and regularly adds their songs Fix You and The Scientist to his Spotify playlists.
Earlier in 2017, when asked about his favorite song during a JBTV interview he proudly answered Coldplay’s Viva La Vida.
BTS as a whole has never hidden their love for the British group, claiming that Coldplay was their favorite rock band.
Hopes for a collaboration between the two internationally acclaimed groups emerged after Jin’s cover of Fix You went viral online.
However, Chris was not always seemingly convinced that a collaboration between the two groups would work.
He discussed his initial fear In the air with Ryan in 2021: ‘Initially that was absolutely not possible.
‘The idea was suggested by the globally handsome Jin from BTS and I thought, “I don’t know how that could ever work. We’re going to look like their fading sports coaches.”
“Then one day the song came out and I thought, ‘Oh, this song is for us and for BTS, I think,’ and now here we are – it feels very surreal, but it’s an amazing adventure.”
Jin and BTS have been fans of Coldplay for a while, with the band citing Coldplay as one of their favorite rock bands (photo 2023)
After their successful collaboration, Chris returned the admiration by gifting Jin his favorite guitar and showering him with Love Buttons (photo: Jin with the Love Buttons)
Why are Coldplay and BTS fans fighting?
But all has not been harmonious between the groups’ fandoms since their star-studded collaboration.
Recently, several hardcore BTS fans shared claims to X (formerly Twitter) that the iconic British group was using the Korean group for power.
The discussion arose after American musician UMI, who previously collaborated with BTS member Taehyung, directly encouraged BTS fans of the group to see her on tour.
This was followed by an argument in which the artist was accused of using BTS for more fame and recognition.
However, when fans accused Chris and Coldplay of using the Korean pop group, many came to their defense.
‘I understand that the military is angry at people who bullied UMI, but comparing Coldplay collaboration is an extremely bad example.
Although the relationship between the bands has blossomed, there is not the same harmony between their fandoms (from left to right in 2021: Suga, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and J-Hope)
BTS fans started debating whether the iconic British group Coldplay used BTS for influence next
‘Coldplay is one of the legendary bands of all time, broaden your horizons guys, they never used BTS and Army for power…they have millions of fans…’
Another chimed in: “Chris Martin doesn’t talk about BTS or Jin to gain influence. It’s out of pure love.
‘He doesn’t need the army to sell out concerts. They’ve been doing that for decades, even before BTS came into being.”
However, this isn’t the first time Coldplay and BTS followers have clashed, with many complaining to Reddit after followers of the Korean pop group said the pop group helped popularize Fix You.
In response to a tweet from the 2021 Brit Awards announcing that Fix You had gone triple platinum, a BTS fan said:
“Now it’s popular thanks to BTS, (who) did a beautiful cover on MTV Unplugged months ago.”
A Coldplay fan expressed his frustrations on the Reddit thread: ‘Twitter is plagued by BTS fans who are children. It is what it is, I guess.’
“I would guess that 90% of BTS fans were born in or after the year 2005.”
‘I have nothing against kpop, Korean groups or the music they make. The fans though. . . are another matter.’
Coldplay and BTS fans previously clashed after followers of the Korean pop group claimed they popularized Fix You
Many fans of the British group took to Reddit to express their frustrations with BTS fans