James Eppler BTS Remark Draws Backlash Amid BTS Oreo Controversy

James Eppler, a FOX34 personality in Lubbock, Texas, has become the focus of criticism after a reported remark about BTS during a local television segment on the OREO x BTS collaboration. Koreaboo reported on May 28, 2026, that the comment came during a FOX34 trending-news discussion about the limited-edition cookies and led fans to call the remark racist, while some demanded an apology or disciplinary action.¹

The controversy centers on a segment about the BTS-themed OREO release, a product campaign that had been announced two days earlier by OREO and Mondelez. The collaboration, formally introduced as Limited Edition OREO & BTS Cookies, is tied to a global rollout of hotteok-inspired cookies created with the group.²

James Eppler BTS Remark Reported During FOX34 Segment

Koreaboo identified the FOX34 host involved as James Eppler and reported that the station discussed the OREO x BTS collaboration during a trending-news segment. After the segment mentioned that the cookies would include 13 messages, the report said a joke was made using the phrase “Death To America.”¹

The same report said the clip spread online and prompted criticism from BTS fans, who characterized the remark as racist and called for accountability. The reported reaction included calls for an apology and for disciplinary action against the host.¹

Eppler’s public professional profile adds to the attention around the incident. Texas Tech University’s College of Media & Communication lists James Eppler as an adjunct instructor in Journalism & Creative Media Industries. The university profile also identifies him as Managing Editor and Lead Anchor for “Good Day Lubbock” and Entertainment Editor for FOX34 News, with teaching interests connected to journalism and visual storytelling.³

The available source material does not include a statement from Eppler, FOX34, Texas Tech University, BTS, OREO, or Mondelez responding directly to the criticism. It also does not establish whether any formal disciplinary review has been opened. For that reason, the known facts remain limited to the reported segment, the identified remark, the public reaction described by Koreaboo, and Eppler’s listed professional roles.

What The OREO x BTS Collaboration Includes

The broader BTS Oreo Controversy developed around a product launch that had already drawn international attention. AP reported on May 26, 2026, that Mondelez said BTS-themed Oreos would go on sale online on June 1 and in stores on June 8. The cookies were described as purple wafers with 13 embossments designed by BTS, including member names and the group’s light stick.⁴

AP also reported that the creme was formulated to taste like hotteok, a Korean brown sugar-filled pancake. In a statement cited by AP, BTS said, “Oreo is helping us share a taste of home with the world.”⁴

OREO and Mondelez announced the limited-edition cookies in an official release dated May 26, 2026. The release said the brown-sugar-pancake-flavored cookies were created with BTS and would launch across more than 80 markets. It also said packaging would include a QR code connected to a digital letter-writing campaign for fans beginning June 8.²

GMA News Online separately reported on May 27, 2026, that OREO described the collaboration as BTS’ first global snack partnership. The same report said the cookies are purple, feature 13 embossment designs, and are scheduled for presale on June 1 before retail availability on June 8.⁵

The flavor choice was also explained in cultural terms. GMA News identified hotteok as a brown-sugar-syrup-filled pancake popular in South Korea, and quoted Jin as saying, “We wanted to share with everyone the kinds of dessert flavors Koreans enjoy.”⁵

Fan Backlash And Context Around The Product Launch

The remark attributed to the FOX34 segment landed against the backdrop of a campaign framed by OREO and related reports as a global product release rooted in Korean dessert flavors and BTS-designed details. That context shaped the online response, as fans criticized the reported phrase not simply as a joke about a cookie collaboration, but as a remark directed at a Korean music group during coverage of a Korean-inspired product.

Maeil Business Newspaper reported that Dongsuh Foods will launch OREO x BTS limited-edition cookies in South Korea on June 8. The outlet said BTS members participated in product planning and designed 13 cookie patterns for the group’s 13th debut anniversary, with the product to be sold in limited quantities at major supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.⁶

The number 13 appears repeatedly across the campaign, including in the embossment designs and the anniversary-related product planning reported in South Korea. Koreaboo’s report said the FOX34 segment referred to the cookies’ 13 messages before the remark that triggered backlash.¹

BTS Oreo controversy James Eppler remark backlash trend

The available reporting shows a dispute centered on a specific televised remark by James Eppler during coverage of a commercial BTS collaboration. While the OREO x BTS launch is set to proceed with online and retail dates in June 2026, the criticism around the FOX34 segment remains focused on whether the reported comment crossed a line in its treatment of BTS and the Korean-inspired campaign.