Arya News - As criticism mounted, the influencer, who goes by the name Gamix, deleted the video without explaining.
SEOUL – A Japanese influencer with more than 2 million followers on Instagram has come under fire online for making a racist eye gesture mocking Ateez member San’s performance at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Local media reported Friday that the influencer, who goes by the name Gamix, uploaded a video Thursday recreating the K-pop singer’s dance performance to the song “Bad.”
In the video, Gamix wore a shirt made to look like the Atletico Madrid jersey that San wore during a ceremonial kickoff before a match at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Aug. 9. A photo of San wearing the shirt was displayed at the bottom of the video.
After briefly recreating San’s dance, the influencer pulled the corners of his eyes outward with his fingers, a gesture widely considered racist for mocking East Asians based on stereotypes about their appearance.
As criticism mounted, he deleted the video without offering an explanation.
He later drew further backlash by posting another video in which he narrowed his eyes and said that, as an Asian, his eyes do not open well in the morning.
The post prompted criticism on Korean online communities, with some users questioning whether he was trying to brush off the offensive gesture instead of apologizing for it.
Gamix previously gained attention after he was seen crying in the stands following Japan’s defeat during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.