During the Asia Artist Awards (AAA) 2025, held on December 6 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, rookie K-pop group ALLDAY PROJECT made an impressive debut, taking home three awards: Rookie of the Year, New Wave Award and Best Artist Award.
However, it wasn’t just their performance that attracted attention. Bailey, a Korean-American member of the group, courted controversy when he called Taiwan a “beautiful country” during his acceptance speech — a statement that quickly infuriated Chinese nationalists online.
Speaking in English on stage, Bailey said: “Performing in this beautiful country and being nominated alongside so many amazing artists is a truly fantastic experience. Winning this award is a further encouragement.” He thanked his company, the team and their fans – known as DAYONE – and concluded with a heartfelt “I love you” in Mandarin.
Despite the heartfelt speech, Chinese netizens – often nicknamed “little pink ones” – took offense at the term “country” in reference to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a part of China. Floods of comments appeared on social media, accusing her of “going crazy”, demanding an apology and comparing her to political figures who have avoided making similar statements.
Instead, Taiwanese fans rallied in support. Many praised Bailey for expressing her genuine feelings and urged her not to apologize. Comments such as “Taiwan DAYONE will always support you,” “He is simply speaking his truth,” and “Don’t impose political baggage on artists” filled the responses. One of them even laughed off the negative reaction: “We’re a country, you hear? Watching the little pink ones melt is fun.”
This incident added another layer to the ongoing tension between fans, artists, and geopolitics in East Asia. While Bailey has yet to respond to the backlash, many continue to praise his sincerity and professionalism on stage.
